Péter Magyar held talks in Brussels on EU funds, while his future government may inherit new legal burdens from the Orbán cabinet

Péter Magyar’s visit to Brussels was at once a political opening, a financial negotiation and a symbolic foreign-policy shift. The leader of the Tisza Party, appearing as Hungary’s incoming prime minister, held talks with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and António Costa, President of the European Council. At the centre of the discussions were the EU funds due to Hungary but withheld in recent years over concerns related to the rule of law, anti-corruption safeguards and judicial independence.

Tens of billions of euros are at stake

The significance of the meeting lies in the fact that Magyar is trying to reset relations between Budapest and Brussels even before formally taking office. The stakes are not merely diplomatic: tens of billions of euros in EU funding depend on whether Hungary can quickly reach an agreement on the necessary guarantees and reforms. These are expected to include transparency in the use of public funds, stronger anti-corruption institutions, cleaner public procurement practices and a reinforced independence of the judiciary.

Magyar described the talks as constructive and successful, and indicated that he would return to Brussels at the end of May as prime minister to finalise the agreements. The Tisza Party’s goal is to reopen negotiations on EU funds with a new recovery plan that would replace the programme submitted by the Orbán government in 2021. This is especially urgent because part of the money linked to the recovery fund is tied to strict deadlines, meaning that Hungary could permanently lose certain sums if it fails to act in time.

Unlocking EU funds could create economic room for manoeuvre

One of the key messages of the Brussels visit was that the new government intends to move quickly to settle the disputes that have kept Hungary from accessing a significant share of the EU money it is entitled to. According to Magyar, these funds could finance transport, energy, infrastructure and housing programmes. Unlocking the money would therefore be more than a foreign-policy achievement: it could also create direct economic room for manoeuvre at a time when the state budget, municipalities and investment projects are all in need of external resources.

New EU procedures were launched against Hungary at the same time

The timing of the meeting was particularly striking. While Péter Magyar was in Brussels negotiating the release of EU funds, the European Commission took further steps against Hungary. Several infringement procedures were launched, while earlier disputes were moved forward to the court stage. The cases include the system of special retail taxes, problems related to the execution of the European Arrest Warrant, Hungarian rules concerning the release of convicted people smugglers, and discrimination concerns linked to fuel pricing.

The new government may inherit a difficult legacy

This package of procedures, left behind almost as a parting gift, could become a serious political and legal burden for the new government. Péter Magyar will not only have to negotiate with Brussels over how Hungary can gain access to frozen EU funds; he will also have to address unresolved cases stemming from decisions made under the Orbán government. The next cabinet will therefore not begin the rebuilding of EU relations with a clean slate. It will have to restore trust, implement reforms and close earlier conflicts at the same time.

A political turn alone will not be enough

The situation is defined by a clear duality. On the one hand, Brussels has opened the door to a new phase in Hungarian–EU relations, with the gradual release of EU funds as a possible first concrete result. On the other hand, the European Commission has made clear that a political change in itself will not be sufficient. Legal amendments, verifiable institutional guarantees and credible implementation will all be required.

Péter Magyar’s visit to Brussels was therefore not the end of a story, but the beginning of an accelerated round of negotiations. The coming weeks may show whether Hungary’s new leadership can meet EU conditions, deal with the legal disputes inherited from the Orbán era, and prove that the country is not merely asking Brussels for money, but genuinely seeking to return to the mainstream of European cooperation.

Photo: Facebook/ Magyar Péter