Poland and Hungary have blocked the adoption of the EU budget, due to accusations of Brussels problems with their observance of the rule of law.
The budget provides 750 billion euros for the recovery fund of EU member states after the COVID-19 crisis. The budget clause stipulated that the allocation of money to each country was subject to the rule of law. Due to this provision, Poland and Hungary could be deprived of billions of euros in the form of EU funding, because they were criticized for violating democratic standards enshrined in the founding agreement of the EU. However, on Monday the ambassadors of the 27 member countries at the Brussels summit were unable to approve the budget because the two countries vetoed it.
Brussels is currently investigating these countries for the undermining of the independence of the courts, media and non-governmental organizations.
For this reason, Budapest and Warsaw entered into confrontation with the EU.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent a note to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of Monday’s summit, saying the rule of law clause “compromises trust” between member states.