Navracsics didn't refute that the EC is expected to suspend 7.5 billion euros of funding from Hungary

"I have good news: as it has been reported in the press regarding confirmations from the Commission, by the end of the year we will be able to sign the agreements on the cohesion and recovery funds. These will help us to access EU funds next year"-

Tibor Navracsics, Hungarian Minister of Regional Development and the Utilization of EU funds announced at the Conference of Operational Programmes for Competitiveness held at Budapest's Aquarium Club. The German conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported on Wednesday that the European Commission was still proposing to suspend 3,000 billion forints' worth of funding.

"It is a basic truth that it is good to be well informed. We are now finding that the European Commission is communicating with us through newspapers," Navracsics said, according to atv.hu. Regarding the suspension, Navracsics said that the completion of the tasks would be delayed until next year.

Hungary is a loyal, useful and good steward of EU funds

- the minister said.

Thus, Navracsics did not refute reports which appeared in Népszava and the German daily FAZ, claiming that at next week's meeting, the European Commission (EC) will propose to member state governments to suspend one third of the convergence funding Hungary is due to receive between 2021 and 2027 – €7.5 billion (roughly 3,000 billion forints) – due to the risks associated with the use of EU funds and the risks arising from breaches of the rule of law. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen informed European Parliament leaders about this on Tuesday.

On Thursday, the European Parliament will also vote on a resolution, which was preceded by a debate of more than 30 speakers on Monday, which didn't bode well for Hungary. However, this does not necessarily have a direct impact on the fate of billions of euros, as the European Parliament has no decision-making power over EU money.

In September, the European Commission proposed to withdraw HUF 3000 billion of EU funds from Hungary.

(Atv.hu)