A senior legal adviser at the European Court of Justice has said billions of euros were wrongly released to Hungary. Advocate general Tamara Ćapeta argued the European Commission should not have unfrozen about €10bn because required judicial reforms were not fully implemented.
The commission had suspended funds in 2022 over concerns about corruption and rule-of-law backsliding under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In 2023, it decided Hungary had met conditions and restored access to the money. The European Parliament challenged that move, claiming serious legal errors.
Ćapeta said the commission failed to properly assess reforms and lacked transparency in its decision. While 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 through future budget reductions.
The case may set an important precedent for how the EU enforces rule-of-law conditions. Orbán continues to accuse Brussels of political pressure, while Hungary prepares for elections in which opposition leader Péter Magyar has pledged closer alignment with the EU.
