European Defense: In Hungary, Péter Magyar is already beginning to unravel Orbans legacy

It is one of the many projects that the team of Péter Magyar, the future Prime Minister of Hungary, is taking on, with his inauguration scheduled for early May. The leader of the Tisza party, who defeated the Eurosceptic Viktor Orban on April 12, intends to improve the relations between Budapest and Brussels. In light of the corruption suspicions surrounding his predecessor, the Magyar camp has decided to review the SAFE defense plan, presented by Viktor Orbán’s government for 16 billion euros, according to Euronews.

Brussels launched a low-interest credit program last year to boost the European defense industry in relation to the Russian threat. With a budget of 150 billion euros to be distributed among 19 member states, Hungary’s requested amount of 16.2 billion euros ranked among the top three, behind Poland and Romania.

The European Commission, which had not yet approved the Hungarian SAFE plan, agreed to have it reassessed by Péter Magyar’s team. “We will critically examine the list submitted by the outgoing government and make decisions based on real needs and an evaluation of corruption risks,” a source within the Tisza party told Euronews.

Without details on these suspicions – as defense plans are confidential – the risks could involve industrial interests linked to Viktor Orban’s outgoing government. “The Commission is, of course, open to discussing the Hungarian SAFE plan with the new government,” said Thomas Regnier, a Commission spokesperson, to Euronews.

Hungarian diplomats criticized Brussels for the delay in reviewing the proposal, suggesting it may have been politically motivated. In March, the Commission had already approved SAFE plans from France and the Czech Republic. “Considering the timeline, the Commission decided in early February not to approve the Hungarian plan before the elections,” a senior Hungarian official told the channel, a claim rejected by the European Commission.

This announcement comes as Brussels aims to engage with the future Hungarian government, which takes a more pragmatic approach towards the European Union. Over the weekend, a high-level delegation from the European Commission visited Hungary to meet with Péter Magyar’s team.

Various topics were discussed, including the SAFE plan, and especially the freezing of European funds earmarked for Hungary. Brussels has frozen 10 billion euros, accusing the previous government of corruption and disrespect for the rule of law. Péter Magyar’s team has until the summer to reach an agreement with the European Commission in hopes of unlocking these funds.