April 19, 2026, 10:14 p.mApril 19, 2026, 10:14 p.m
Ursula von der Leyen reminds Hungary of EU treaties. Image: keystone
After the opposition’s election victory in Hungary, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is relying on rapid reforms in the member state. They are the prerequisite for frozen EU funds to be released, said the 67-year-old at a celebration of 80 years of “Zeit” in conversation with editor-in-chief Giovanni di Lorenzo in Hamburg. The time pressure is “extremely high”.
Frozen EU funds for Hungary could expire in August
6.5 billion euros from the Corona reconstruction fund, which were not paid out to Hungary due to violations of the rule of law under the elected government of Viktor Orban, were in danger of being forfeited “if certain steps, reforms and investments are not made by the end of August,” said the Commission President.
“That means the time pressure is gigantic.” That’s why she sent a team of her “best officials there” two days ago to work with election winner Peter Magyar’s team to ensure that the requirements for the disbursement of the funds were met. “I think the people in Hungary deserve to receive these European funds,” said von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen: Were “incredibly strict” with Orbán
When asked by a “Zeit” reader whether Brussels should have been stricter with Orban, von der Leyen said: “We were incredibly strict with Orban.” 17 billion euros were frozen. “For such a country, that is a huge sum that was missing.” And this was also made clear “by the further decline in Hungary’s competitiveness,” which voters ultimately acknowledged at the ballot box.
In addition, every sanction against the Orban government had to pay close attention to the EU treaties. “The last thing I could have imagined is that Orban would go to court against the commission and win.”
The principle of unanimity in the Council of Foreign Ministers should be abolished
In view of the Hungarian government’s “systematic blockade” of the EU for years, von der Leyen spoke out in favor of abandoning the unanimity principle in the EU – but only in the Council of Foreign Ministers. Experience has shown that “Europe’s voice must be heard quickly,” especially in foreign policy.
Because of the blockade by the Orban government, this was often not possible, especially with regard to Russia, so that “the rest of the world rightly said: Where is Europe?” said the Commission President.
The moment of the change of government in Hungary should therefore now be used to fundamentally discuss the unanimity principle again with the heads of state and government, said von der Leyen. However, it is not easy. “Because in order to abolish unanimity, we need unanimity.” (sda/dpa)