Hemorrhaging and oligarchs mentioned in EP report criticising the Hungarian government

A delegation of the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control is to visit Hungary between 15 and 17 May, where they will meet Tibor Navracsics, the Minister of Regional Development, László Windisch, the President of the State Audit Office of Hungary, Gergely Karácsony, the Mayor of Budapest, and investigative journalists, Népszava reports, based on sources in Brussels.

The delegation will spend the two days learning about the progress of the rule of law investigation initiated due to the risk of corruption, and they want to find out about the activities of the Hungarian authorities monitoring the use of EU funds, as well assess whether Hungary will be able to properly use the financial resources from the EU budget and the reconstruction fund.

Népszava also notes that the European Commission's report on the European Commission's budgetary management for 2021, which is expected to be adopted by the EP plenary on Wednesday, is critical of the situation in Hungary. The body recommends withholding money from Hungary and Poland due to rule of law issues related to the proper use of funds until these are resolved, and also criticises the Hungarian government's measures against multinational companies, corruption and the opaque public procurement system.

"They deny licenses selectively and with bias, and arbitrarily impose strict conditions and restrictions in order to economically weaken and hemorrhage certain foreign companies, until they are forced to accept the Hungarian government or oligarchs close to the government making hostile acquisitions in whole or in part, at prices far below the true value of the company," the text, obtained by Népszava, says.