Member of the European Parliament Peter Magyar recently addressed the debate surrounding the €90 billion loan intended for Ukraine, noting that, according to decisions made by the European Council, some Central European countries would be exempt from participating in the financing.
According to Magyar, during a European Council meeting held in December, it was agreed that Hungary, Slovakia, and Czech Republic would not be part of the loan— a decision that allowed the proposal to move forward within European institutions. The MEP stated that, in his view, Hungary should remain outside this financial commitment due to the country’s difficult economic situation.
Magyar argued that the Hungarian government must focus on recovering funds from the European Union that, he claims, rightfully belong to the country but have not yet been received, unlike in other member states. Without these resources, he explained, Hungary has less capacity to strengthen its economy and take on new financial obligations.
The MEP also noted that Hungary’s budget deficit and national debt have increased significantly in recent years, reinforcing the need to avoid additional borrowing until the country’s financial situation is stabilized.
In his remarks, Magyar also questioned the shifting positions of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on several European issues, stating that he has at times supported decisions only to later oppose them. As an example, he pointed to contradictory stances regarding Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
On this matter, the lawmaker emphasized that his position has been consistent from the beginning: he does not support an accelerated accession of Ukraine into the bloc. According to him, incorporating a country that is currently at war would be unfeasible under existing EU procedures, which require extensive negotiations and the fulfillment of multiple chapters and conditions.
Magyar concluded by stating that any progress in this process must follow the established rules for all candidate countries and that, in Hungary’s case, any potential accession of Ukraine would likely need to be approved through a national referendum before gaining support.
