Peter Mayer announced that he will travel on April 29 to Brussels for informal talks with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The aim is to restart funding to his country.
“There is no time to lose,” he said, at a time when the Hungarian economy has been stagnating for the past three years.
The new prime minister has pledged a more pro-European line than his predecessor, Viktor Orban. A key aim is to unblock billions of euros that were pledged over concerns about the rule of law and corruption.
Mayar is expected to take office in early May. He has already set out four key priorities for immediate action. Among them are strengthening transparency, protecting freedom of the press and ensuring academic freedom.
The pressure is on. Hungary is at risk of losing around 10 billion euros of European pandemic funds as the deadline passes at the end of August.
Following his election victory, Mayer expressed hope for a political deal with the European Union as early as his first visit.
Orban’s previous government was in open conflict with the European Union over issues of institution and rights.
The new government is based on a strong parliamentary majority, following the victory of the Tisza party in the 12 March elections. This gives room for changes in the legislation. In the crosshairs are regulations affecting justice, MMEs and public procurement procedures.
