Summary

Hungary will lose €1.04 billion in EU funds on January 1, 2025, as disputes with Brussels over corruption and rule of law persist, deepening its recession.

Hungary faces a deepening recession, with with €6.3 billion frozen over rule-of-law concerns, and €200 million lost annually due to daily fines for illegal asylum seeker treatment, alongside a 0.7% economic contraction and a 4.5% budget deficit.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is looking to Chinese investment to offset the €19 billion in blocked EU funds.

While Chinese projects, such as a battery plant, have increased, experts doubt they can replace the scale of EU funding.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Why don’t they just exit EU, and become part of Russian federation instead? That’s apparently what they want. Although I have no idea why anyone would seriously want that?
    But EU is not preventing them from doing what they really want, if they want to leave EU they can. Unlike if they were part of the Russian federation.
    What you can’t do is to work against basic principles of the EU, and then expect EU to support that.
    I have no idea how it’s in any way debatable for Hungary which side they should be on?

    • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Because they profit from it in several ways. Leaving the EU would completely expose Orban to the likes of Putin and Xi with little to no bargain chip. He needs something his country could theoretically turn back to when relationships go sour and go sour they will if things degress the way they do in these countries.

      • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Because they profit from it in several ways.

        But they don’t, that’s the point, they are merely souring their relations in EU, and prevent European and other companies from investing there, because Orban is creating doubt about the country.
        The one thing companies prefer above all else, is predictability, and Orban is ruining that completely.

    • TheEighthDoctor@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      It’s so stupid that the EU doesn’t have a mechanism to kick out members, wtf were they thinking when they made the rules?!

  • bean@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I mean, leopards eating faces. He gets what he wants which is friction with the EU. I’m tired of him. Hungarians need to step it up. They’re amazing people (history and food too) who have a horrible mini-tyrant and seem to be budding up to Russia (cheap gas? Or why?).

  • FelixCress@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Good. Hungary should be suspended in their EU voting rights as well. Until and unless they remove Russian shills from power.