The European Parliament Sue the European Commission. Unlocking €10bn for Hungary Sparks a Scandal in the EU

The European Parliament is preparing to sue the European Commission over its decision to unfreeze billions of euros for Hungary late last year. This is reported by Politico. The charges relate to the alleged breach of obligations to protect taxpayers’ money from misuse, which was voted almost unanimously in favor. Last December, the European Commission unblocked more than 10 billion euros of EU funds earmarked for Hungary, the payment of which had been frozen due to concerns about the human rights situation and the rule of law in the country. The decision came a day before an EU summit at which leaders were due to discuss new aid to Ukraine and the start of the country’s accession talks - steps that Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban had threatened to block. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s decision to unfreeze the funds was met with a negative reaction from MEPs, who accused her of giving in to Orban’s blackmail. Leaders of the political groups will meet on Thursday to give the final consent to the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to file a lawsuit against the European Commission in court by 25 March.