DK Demands EU Funds Be Distributed By Independent Body In Hungary
- 15 May 2019 7:20 AM
- Hungary Matters
The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) demanded that the distribution of European Union funding should be carried out by an independent European institution.
Klára Dobrev, who leads DK’s list at the European Parliament elections, cited a recent survey by Median of 1,200 people which suggested that 65%, including half of ruling Fidesz supporters, wanted EU resources to be distributed by an independent European organisation instead of the government in order to quell corruption.
Dobrev told a press conference that DK had prepared several proposals to this end in the past three years. In the next EU budget period, a prerequisite of granting EU monies will be the introduction of anti-corruption measures and meeting constitutional requirements, she added.
This may endanger Hungary’s economy, Dobrev said.
Asked to comment on Monday’s meeting of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and US President Donald Trump, she said Trump had already met all other EU leaders so Orbán was last in line.
The meeting will not have any consequences for the future of Hungary or Europe, Dobrev added.
Ruling Fidesz said in response that Dobrev, the wife of former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány and a former official overseeing the distribution of EU support, was personally responsible for Hungary’s losing part of the funding from Brussels.
“One-third of EU monies was stolen and taken abroad under corrupt, previous left-wing governments”, Fidesz said in a statement.
“If it were up to Gyurcsány and Dobrev, and the other pro-migration politicians in Brussels”, migrants would receive more EU money and Hungarians less, Fidesz said, adding that those politicians sought to “financially punish” countries that reject migrants.
MTI Photo: Máthé Zoltán
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