Hungarian MPs to vote on anti-corruption measures to unfreeze EU funds

The EU announced in late May that it would release over 16 billion euros for Hungary, previously frozen due to rule of law concerns under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government, provided necessary reforms addressing corruption and rule of law issues are adopted. Peter Magyar, a pro-European conservative, promised "regime change" after replacing Viktor Orban in April, who had been in power for 16 years. The anti-corruption law is expected to pass easily, as Magyar's Tisza party holds over two-thirds of parliamentary seats, allowing it to modify key laws and amend the Constitution without opposition support.

The bill expands the legal powers of the Integrity Authority, an anti-corruption body established in late 2022 under a previous EU-mandated reform package. Under the new provisions, this body will monitor asset declarations, request anti-corruption investigations from the judiciary, and suspend public procurement procedures to protect European funds. Additionally, the legislation introduces stricter transparency requirements for the ownership structure of private equity funds.

It also mandates the dissolution of public interest asset management foundations KEKVA, with the state reclaiming assets transferred to these entities under the Orban government, estimated