Hungary vetoed EU budget because of immigration 'blackmail', says PM Orban

Orban is a staunch opponent of mass immigration on the grounds that it dilutes national and European identity.

Hungary vetoed the European Union's 2021-2027 budget and post-coronavirus recovery fund because they would have forced it to accept immigration, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Wednesday.

Hungary, together with Poland, vetoed both the budget and the recovery plan on Monday saying at the time it was because the budget law included a clause which makes access to money conditional on respecting the rule of law. "After accepting the current proposal there would be no barrier from tying the disbursement of funds to member states to supporting immigration, and blackmail the countries that oppose immigration with budgetary sanctions," Orban said in the statement published by state news agency MTI.

The budget and the recovery package do not have any specific clauses about immigration. Orban is a staunch opponent of mass immigration on the grounds that it dilutes national and European identity. There is an EU procedure against Hungary for violating democratic norms.