Hungary’s Magyar pledges to unlock EU funds, tighten anti-corruption drive

Hungary’s newly elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar has said he plans to restore access to European Union funding that was previously frozen over corruption allegations under the former government, making the statement after a meeting with European Commission officials.

Writing on X, Magyar noted the government of the Tisza Party intends to begin its work with “unprecedented legitimacy” and a high level of responsibility. He stressed that EU funds “rightfully belong to Hungary and the Hungarian people,” describing them as a key factor in the country’s economic recovery.

Over the past two days, we have held high-level talks in Budapest with leaders of the European Commission.

During this round of talks, I made it clear that the TISZA government is beginning its work with unprecedented legitimacy and, at the same time, a strong sense of… pic.twitter.com/ygmJXgbQnH

— Magyar Péter (Ne féljetek) (@magyarpeterMP) April 19, 2026

“EU funding is not charity, but a fair return for the contributions made by Hungarians to the Union and for the work Hungary has done for Europe,” he said.

The prime minister added that Budapest plans to introduce anti-corruption measures, join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and restore the independence of the judiciary, media, and higher education institutions.

“The consequences of the outgoing government’s mistakes will not disappear overnight. But we are not looking for excuses — we are looking for solutions. We have taken the first steps in the right direction,” he said.

Magyar expressed confidence that multi-billion-euro funding could be unlocked shortly after he takes office, scheduled for May 9. He also noted that initial agreements had already been reached with European Commission representatives on resuming efforts to release funds allocated to Hungary.

He added that his first official visit to Brussels as prime minister would aim to conclude a comprehensive agreement with EU institutions and member state leaders to ensure swift access to EU funds for Hungarian citizens and businesses.

“On April 12, the Hungarian people made a clear and decisive choice: Hungary’s place is in Europe,” Magyar concluded.

By Jeyhun Aghazada