The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, threatened to veto the next seven-year budget of the European Union if Brussels does not release EU funds for Hungary, which are currently blocked, reports DPA.
Orbán made the threat during an interview with Hungarian state radio.
The approval of the EU budget requires the consent of all member states.
"I can safely say that I will not contribute to this if the blocked funds for Hungary are not yet foreseen in the next long-term budget," he pointed out.
Several times in the past he has pressured the European Commission with veto threats.
The Commission is currently blocking nearly €12 billion of funding meant for Hungary, as well as billions in coronavirus aid.
Brussels will release these funds only when Hungary implements further reforms to strengthen the rule of law.
Negotiations are expected for the next long-term EU budget from 2028 to 2035. to start in mid-2025