Hungary pledged legal changes to Brussels in hope of securing EU funds - govt

"We hope the conditionality procedure can be closed and then the agreement on the recovery funds and then also the seven-year budget can be signed," Gulyas said. Justice Minister Judit Varga said in a Facebook post that Hungary offered a “comprehensive” package of measures to address European Union demands.

Hungary's government has promised the European Commission it will amend several laws criticised by the EU executive by the end of October if an agreement on the release of EU funds is reached, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Tuesday.

The Commission has been withholding its approval for Hungary to draw on money meant to help lift economies from the COVID-19 pandemic, accusing Orban's government of undermining the rule of law. Hungary had to address the Commission's concerns by Aug. 22 in the hope of unblocking the release of billions of euros that Brussels has put on hold.

Nationalist Orban - locked in many battles with the European Union over migration, LGBTQ rights and the rule of law - has come under increased pressure to strike a deal with Brussels as the forint currency hit new lows last month and inflation keeps surging. "We have already submitted part of these (legal changes) and made promises for several more law amendments if the deal with the Commission is signed," Gergely Gulyas told a briefing.

Gulyas said the reply Hungary sent had provided a consensus on all the recommendations of the Commission, and would create a "stricter than ever" and most transparent system for overseeing the use of EU funds and procurement contracts. "We hope the conditionality procedure can be closed and then the agreement on the recovery funds and then also the seven-year budget can be signed," Gulyas said.

Justice Minister Judit Varga said in a Facebook post that Hungary offered a "comprehensive" package of measures to address European Union demands.