The planned significant reduction of cohesion funds is unacceptable for Hungary as with the strengthening of the EU Member States which are currently doing less well the economy of the whole of Europe will become more successful, the Justice Minister stated on Thursday in the Hague talking to the Hungarian news agency MTI by telephone.
According to Judit Varga’s information, she made it clear during both her visit to Paris at the beginning of the week and her visit to the Hague that the cohesion funds convey mutual advantages.
She said it is important that the dominant net contributor countries appreciate, understand and accept in their own best interests that cohesion policy must remain strong, the Justice Minister said.
“It is important to read between the figures. Taking a closer look at Member State contributions, compared with several net contributor states, Hungary bears a higher burden in relation to its gross national income (GNI),” the Minister said.
Regarding the possible tying of cohesion funds to conditions, she said the European Union has a number of means at its disposal to demand financial discipline in connection with the spending of budgetary funds by Member States. Therefore, it is important that the criteria of the rule of law should also be observed when these means are created. It is unacceptable for Hungary, however, that the text of the draft does not reflect this, she underlined.
According to Mrs Varga’s information, at her meetings with Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Ferdinand Grapperhaus and Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok, she pointed out that in the direct disbursement of cohesion funds there are enormous geographical discrepancies. So far the newly-joining Member States have only received 5 per cent of the budget, a percentage that will have to be improved. It is important that the economic gap should not increase any further, and it is necessary to create a state of balance among the Member States, she stated.
Mrs Varga also said during talks with her Dutch colleagues they agreed that the rule of law would require less political attention and more legal analysis. Therefore, the current discourse regarding the rule of law would be in a better place in the European Union’s council of justice ministers.
Hungary is unable to support a rule of law mechanism which would forfeit its intergovernmental nature and would give the European Commission another means that could be used for exerting political pressure, the Justice Minister added.