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Gergely Gulyás, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office, gave an interview to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung about the negotiations on EU funds and the Integrity Authority.
He said that the vast majority of the 27 “super-milestones,” – the conditions set by the European Commission in order to release Hungary’s EU funds – has already been met, and the Integrity Authority has been set up.
The Minister said it was incorrect for the Commission to retrospectively object to the appointment of one of the Integrity Authority’s vice-chairs (Tímea Holbusz, because she used to work at the Ministry of Finance).
He recalled that the Brussels body wanted to regulate a process and not to discuss individuals. Gulyás stressed that the government has transposed all the Commission’s demands into legislation, the process of appointing the president or the vice presidents of the authority is regulated by law, and the government has no influence over it.
Asked what the government will do in this situation, he said that they will act according to the Commission’s proposal and would not treat the question of who is the vice-chairman of the authority as a priority.
We are waiting for the Commission’s draft on how to replace the vice president of an independent authority in a European way,”
he noted.
Asked why Hungary would not join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), he said that their”refusal to join is an issue of sovereignty,” adding that the head of the EPPO said that cooperation with Hungary has been much better than with other Member States that joined the organization.
He noted that the Integrity Authority can initiate criminal proceedings by court order if there are indications of criminal activity.
On relations with Russia, the Minister said that it was in Hungary’s interest to have access to oil and gas from Russia and that a “rational partnership” has been established in this area. However, “as far as Russian aggression is concerned, we share the EU’s common position,” he added.
Featured photo via Facebook/Gulyás Gergely