EU values are not for sale to Viktor Orbán

Renew Europe has today co-authored a letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, urging the European Commission not to prematurely release frozen EU funds for Hungary.

Renew Europe does not believe that the horizontal enabling conditions required for the release of the funds have been fulfilled and therefore payments to the Hungarian Government cannot be made. Viktor Orbán must not be allowed to blackmail the Union, nor undermine Europe’s future, including a clear European path for Ukraine.

Stéphane Séjourné, President of Renew Europe, said:

"Releasing frozen money prematurely would mean EU values are for sale. There is currently no guarantee that there will be a return to sustainable democracy in Hungary. On the contrary, new threats to the rule of law are still emerging. Giving in to Viktor Orbán’s demands now will only prove that blackmailing our Union pays off. No single euro of taxpayer’s money should be given to a country that does not adhere to the rule of law."