Brussels, May 22 — A group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) is calling on the European Commission to stop all funding to Hungary, accusing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government of ignoring EU laws and values. The MEPs say Hungary is moving further away from democracy and must be held accountable, reported by Euro News.
In a letter published Tuesday, 26 MEPs from five major political groups urged the Commission to act immediately. They said Hungary has shown “alarming backsliding” since the EU decided in December 2022 to freeze €18 billion in funds due to concerns over corruption and the weakening of democratic institutions.
According to the letter, things have gotten worse. The MEPs listed four main issues: government interference with Hungary’s anti-corruption agency, pressure on judges, banning the Budapest Pride march, and passing a controversial “Sovereignty Protection” law. That law allows investigations into foreign funding of individuals and organizations, and critics say it is being used to silence political opposition.
The MEPs also warned about a new draft law that could force foreign-funded media outlets and NGOs to register and face fines. They argue that cutting all funds is now necessary to protect the EU’s financial and democratic interests.
Key signers of the letter include senior lawmakers involved in EU budget oversight and rule-of-law monitoring. The European Commission responded by saying it is willing to discuss stronger action, including more funding cuts under the Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism.
Tens of thousands of people protested the proposed law in Budapest last weekend. In a European Parliament debate this week, Hungarian ruling party MEPs defended the law, saying it protects the country from foreign influence. Critics say it follows a model seen in Russia to control media and activism.
The law, part of what Orbán calls a “spring cleaning” of politics, could be passed in the coming weeks, raising serious concerns across Europe.
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