Following his election victory, Hungary’s future prime minister announced Poland as his first foreign visit, with support from Donald Tusk potentially key to Budapest’s EU relations.
Poland “May Play a Decisive Role”
Hungary’s newly elected prime minister stated on April 12th that Poland would be the first country he visits after taking office, a plan already coordinated with Donald Tusk.
Magyar Seeks to Repair Relations with the European Union
According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Tusk, as “the most experienced leader at the table,” could offer valuable advice and support to Magyar in repairing relations with the EU. The newspaper assessed that a partnership between the two leaders could be crucial in restoring Budapest’s position in European politics.
Life in Viktor Orbán’s Village
Journalists are reportedly unwelcome in Felcsut, Viktor Orbán’s village, following the elections. While the outgoing prime minister’s home is modest, his family owns properties in the area worth hundreds of millions of złoty.
Hungary and Poland Share Common Ground
One of Magyar’s goals is to unlock European funds that were “frozen due to corruption” under the previous government. Poland faced a similar situation, with approximately 137 billion euros in EU funds frozen due to concerns about the rule of law and judicial reforms implemented by the previous government.
EU Expectations for Hungary
The European Union expects Hungary to unblock a 90 billion euro EU loan for Ukraine and to accept sanctions against Russia. Hungary must also meet conditions related to institutions, the judiciary, corruption control, asylum law, and academic freedom, with the first tranche of funds—10.4 billion euros—dependent on fulfilling these requirements by the end of August.
European Union Unblocks Funds for Poland
In early 2024, the European Commission determined that, as a result of actions taken between June 2022 and February 2024, Poland’s disciplinary system for judges had been comprehensively reformed. This included the abolition of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court and its replacement with the Chamber of Professional Responsibility.
The reform also involved the reinstatement of judges who had been wrongly suspended, and the introduction of safeguards to protect judges from disciplinary action based on the content of their rulings or the application of EU law. A regulation by Adam Bodnar was key to terminating unjustified disciplinary proceedings.
The October 15th Coalition also announced plans to regulate the status of so-called “neo-judges” and to reform the KRS (National Council of the Judiciary). However, President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the KRS law.