Hungary and Poland are headed toward a major clash with their European Union partners after doubling down on a veto to the bloc’s stimulus package, demanding changes that will likely face outright rejection.
In a defiant briefing in Budapest, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Polish counterpart, Mateusz Morawiecki, showed little sign they’d reverse objections to tying budget financing to rule-of-law standards. Brussels is investigating the two countries over democratic backsliding, making them prime candidates for cuts to funding that could top a combined €180 billion ($215 billion) in the coming years.
The battle is delaying €1.8 trillion of EU spending that includes the seven-year budget and a €750 billion coronavirus-relief fund.
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