A senior adviser to the European Court of Justice has said the European Commission wrongly released billions of euros to Hungary. Advocate general Tamara Ćapeta argued the commission should not have unfrozen about €10bn because required judicial reforms were not fully implemented.
The commission suspended funds in 2022 over rule-of-law and corruption concerns under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In 2023, it lifted the suspension, saying Hungary had met the conditions. The European Parliament challenged that decision, claiming serious errors and possible political motives.
Ćapeta said the commission failed to properly assess whether reforms were in force and effectively applied. She stressed that EU money cannot be disbursed until legal changes are fully implemented. Although her opinion is not binding, the court often follows such advice. A final ruling is expected in the coming months and could force the commission to recover funds by cutting future payments.
Orbán continues to accuse Brussels of political interference. Meanwhile, he faces a strong domestic challenge from opposition leader Péter Magyar ahead of upcoming elections.
