2.2 • 5 Ratings
🗓️ 9 December 2022
⏱️ 18 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
It went down to the wire, but Budapest and Brussels struck a deal in December that paves the way for the EU to greenlight billions of euros in funding. In return, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban's government agreed to more sustained efforts and reforms to fight corruption, as well as giving up its threat to veto a European aid package to Ukraine. This came after months of disagreements over a host of issues – migrants, the rights of minorities, media freedoms, the justice system and most recently, over Russia and Ukraine.
In this special programme, the Europe Now team travels to Hungary to take a closer look at the country's anti-corruption efforts. Luke Brown takes us to Felcsut, the rural birthplace of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the beneficiary of multiple EU-funded projects. Armen Georgian conducts interviews with political players such as Tibor Navracsics, the Hungarian minister of regional development and Kata Tütto, deputy mayor of Budapest.
Hungary isn't the only country that has ruffled feathers in Brussels in recent years over the issue of the rule of law, but Poland has avoided cuts to EU funding. Our Brussels correspondent Alix Le Bourdon reports on how European magistrates are trying to ensure there is no backsliding from Warsaw.
This show is part of FRANCE 24's series of Europe Now programmes focused on "levelling up" – the EU's efforts aimed at making life more equal across Europe's many and diverse regions. We examine both national efforts to level up, and the role that EU funding plays in those attempts. EU structural and cohesion funds have become even more important in light of the war in Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis, which threatens to increase unequal living standards around Europe. This makes the EU's response all the more urgent.
Show presented by Armen Georgian, produced by Johan Bodin, filmed on location by Johan Bodin and Stéphane Bodenne, with Luke Brown.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the DG Regional and Urban Policy. Neither the European Union nor the DG Regional and Urban Policy can be held responsible for them.
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
0:00.0 | I'm in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and this country has been run by a strong man for the last 12 years. |
0:40.5 | Prime Minister Victor Orban sees himself as the defender of European civilization and values. |
0:46.9 | But Brussels doesn't see things the same way. |
0:49.1 | And for years, the two sides have been at loggerheads over a whole host of issues, |
0:54.7 | from migrants to Russia and Ukraine to the rule of law and energy independence. |
1:00.3 | In December, the EU agreed to freeze a substantial part of its cohesion funding to Hungary. |
1:06.8 | It approved the National Recovery Plan but won't actually pay the money until Hungary makes |
1:12.5 | progress in its anti-corruption reforms. Budapest came forward with a package of remedial |
1:18.8 | measures, but some campaigners and civil society groups say that these pledges lack real bite. |
1:26.9 | Our reporter Luke Brown takes a closer look. Budapest's Metro |
1:31.8 | 3, transporting half a million passengers each day, it's the Hungarian capital's busiest line. |
1:37.5 | Thanks to 418 million euros of EU funds since 2016, it's been getting a facelift. Improved wheelchair |
1:43.6 | access, new lifts, even Star Wars-inspired |
1:46.2 | decor, the EU's value for ordinary Hungarians. But EU funds are also a source of potential corruption. |
1:53.3 | Akos Hadhazi is an independent MP and campaigns against Graft. He's brought us to Felchut, |
1:58.6 | the birthplace of Hungary's Prime Minister, and the beneficiary of |
2:01.7 | multiple EU-funded projects such as this artificial lake and this tourist train that only serves |
2:06.9 | two stations and only at weekends. This is the best known example, this little train. It's an investment |
2:15.2 | of two million euros, which in and of itself is reasonable. |
2:19.9 | But it's a perfect example that shows an investment using European money that's completely useless. |
2:26.9 | And what's more, it was all personally requested by Viktor Orban. |
2:31.5 | A few kilometres away is this grand manor once owned by the Austrian Archduke Joseph that now belonged to Orban. A few kilometers away is this grand manner once owned by the Austrian Archduke Joseph |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in -835 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from France Médias Monde, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of France Médias Monde and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.