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...Austrian supermarket chain Spar has accused Hungary of breaking EU law in an effort to bring down rising food prices and called on Brussels to intervene to ease the “devastating” effect on its operations...
...The European Commission unblocked €10bn of Hungary’s EU funds frozen over rule of law concerns on the eve of a summit where Viktor Orbán has vowed to block financial and political support for Ukraine....
...Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is EU’s most Russia-friendly leader, name-checked France and Austria, who are working on Hungary’s nuclear plant expansion plans piloted by Russian constructor...
...It has since adopted the majority of legislation to transform its economy to meet that goal but politicians fear a backlash when laws such as a ban on new internal combustion engines or more stringent energy...
...“The commission argues that the law violates EU law, in particular when it comes to the principle of democracy and the electoral rights of EU citizens,” said spokesperson Anitta Hipper....
...He has called for renewed focus on the rule of law and an end to corruption — issues that have caused ructions between Budapest and Brussels, including the freezing of billions in EU funding....
...European parliament to vote on reform of the EU’s debt and deficit rules....
...In February the commission warned Hungary it could take fresh legal action over a new law it said violated EU rules....
...The European Commission has launched legal proceedings arguing the new agency violates EU law....
...Many of these sites were designated under EU laws — laws that many EU member states are not following,” he said....
...TikTok on Wednesday said it was voluntarily suspending its reward programme as part of its new TikTok Lite app as it addressed worries by EU officials that it may have broken EU law....
...to woo social media influencers to the EU cause....
...The EU could freeze Slovakia’s funding over rule of law violations, as it did against Poland and Hungary....
...One example, Pressman said, was an outlandish claim made by Orbán last month that billions of euros of EU funds due to Hungary but blocked by Brussels over rule of law concerns could be sent to Ukraine instead...
...In this respect, it’s useful to Orbán that Hungary’s turn at holding the EU’s six-month rotating presidency will start on July 1....
...Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s premier, has vowed to block the use of the EU budget to provide €50bn in financial aid to Ukraine at an emergency summit of leaders on Thursday....
...“At the same time you have EU funds that will be flowing into Poland, while Hungary still needs to do more to gain full access to EU funds.”...
...“Hungary does not give in to blackmail,” Hungary’s EU minister János Bóka wrote on X on Sunday night....
...After talking by telephone with Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday, Orbán said on social media platform X that he “reaffirmed” Hungarian support for Sweden’s membership....
...In the south Caucasus state of Georgia, on which the EU conferred candidate status last year, the government pressed ahead with a law on “foreign agents” that resembles a measure passed in Russia to crush...
...The move comes after Orbán unsuccessfully held up EU aid for Ukraine in a bid to unblock funding for Hungary, which has been frozen over rule of law and graft concerns....
...“Let me be clear: the draft Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence is not consistent with Georgia’s EU aspiration and its accession trajectory and will bring Georgia further away from the EU and not closer...
...and the media....
...At present, more than €20bn of EU funds earmarked for Hungary are frozen because of concerns over the rule of law and other issues....
...“An Italian in chains — tied hand and foot in Hungary,” Giuseppe Conte, leader of Italy’s opposition Five Star Movement, wrote in a social media post on Tuesday, ahead of the phone call....
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