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Hungary's Magyar Starts Early EU Talks to Unblock Funds
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 17, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 17, 2026
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Hungary’s prime minister‑designate Péter Magyar has launched preliminary talks with EU officials in Budapest to unblock approximately €17 billion in frozen EU funds, aiming to meet reform deadlines before his government takes office in early May.
Hungary’s Peter Magyar Starts Talks with EU Officials to Unblock Funds
Peter Magyar’s Efforts to Restore EU Funding and Political Relations
Initiation of Talks with EU Officials
BUDAPEST, April 17 (Reuters) - Hungary's incoming prime minister Peter Magyar said on Friday he was about to start initial talks with EU officials in Budapest as there was no time to waste in his efforts to unblock funds frozen by the bloc over disputes with his predecessor.
Magyar, whose landslide victory in an April 12 election will end nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's 16-year rule, said he would kickstart the discussions by setting out points where he and the EU already agreed.
Expectations for Constructive Negotiations
"I expect a constructive negotiation. It will not be easy because we have very little time," he told a news conference.
He said the chief of staff of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen would arrive at around 5 p.m. local time as part of a high-level delegation.
Mapping Out Agreements and Conditions
"The aim is... to map out before the new government is formed what we agree on and what are the conditions that the next parliament can pass as a law and comply with European conditions," Magyar said.
Political Transition and Legislative Priorities
He is aiming to take office as prime minister on May 9 or 10, depending on when the president calls the inaugural session of parliament following the election.
His centre-right Tisza party won a supermajority, giving it the power to change the judicial, public tendering and media control laws that have been at the centre of disputes between Orban's government and Brussels.
Hopes for Political Agreement and Economic Impact
On Friday, he told journalists he was hoping for a political agreement during his first visit to Brussels.
Markets have rallied on Magyar's victory with hopes that the EU will unblock billions of euros of funds and help an economy at near-stagnation.
Key Areas for Swift Cabinet Action
Magyar has previously outlined four key areas where his cabinet could move swiftly to avoid the loss of some 10 billion euros of EU pandemic recovery funding by an end-August deadline - including measures to battle corruption and restore media and academic freedoms.
Statements from EU Leadership
Von der Leyen said this week after speaking with Magyar that there was swift work to be done.
(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •Magyar held early talks—including with Ursula von der Leyen’s staff—with EU officials on April 17 to map agreed priorities and unfreeze funding.(apnews.com)
- •About €17 billion remains suspended due to rule‑of‑law concerns from the Orbán era; roughly €10 billion in recovery funds risk expiry by end‑August.(euronews.com)
- •Magyar’s Tisza party enjoys a two‑thirds supermajority, enabling swift reforms to judicial independence, media, corruption and academic freedoms—key conditions for EU fund release.(lemonde.fr)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Hungary's Magyar starts early EU talks to unblock funds
1Why are Hungary’s EU funds frozen?
Hungary's EU funds are frozen due to disputes between the previous government and the EU over issues such as judicial, public tendering, and media control laws.
2When will Peter Magyar become Hungary’s prime minister?
Peter Magyar is expected to take office as prime minister on May 9 or 10, depending on when the president calls the inaugural parliamentary session.
3What are the key areas targeted to unblock EU funds?
Magyar aims to address corruption, restore media and academic freedoms, and improve judicial and public tendering laws to meet EU conditions.
4What is the immediate goal of Magyar’s early EU talks?
The immediate goal is to identify agreement points with the EU and map out legislative changes so Hungary can comply with European conditions and unlock funds.
