BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary will create an anti-corruption authority and a task force involving NGOs to oversee the spending of European Union funds, according to a decree published in Hungary’s Official Gazette on Monday evening.
The Budapest decision aims to unblock the disbursement of funds from the EU’s recovery plan after the COVID-19 pandemic, suspended by the European Commission due to concerns over the Prime Minister’s government’s respect for the rule of law. nationalist minister Viktor Orban.
Hungary is also subject to financial sanctions from Brussels for the same problems concerning the rule of law – in particular on the procedures of public tenders which do not respect the safeguards in the fight against corruption. .
The government plans to present to parliament by September 30 a bill to create an independent anti-corruption authority, which could be in place by November 21.
This new body will intervene if the Hungarian authorities do not take sufficient measures to “prevent, investigate and settle cases of fraud, conflict of interest, corruption or other crimes and abuses” when using the funds of the EU, according to the decree.
Hungary will also set up a working group to advise the authority. It will be composed of government delegates and representatives of non-governmental organizations.
(Report Anita Komuves, French version Diana Mandiá, edited by Jean-Stéphane Brosse)
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