Economy: the government has agreed: the money from the Norwegian Fund can still arrive at the last minute

After a long and hard debate, an agreement was reached in the last minute between Norway and Hungary on the use of the countries of the European Economic Area and the Norwegian Funds, announced the Norwegian Embassy in Budapest.

The amount of the aid is 214.6 million euros.

Hungary is the third largest beneficiary of the support program, but so far not a penny of the money has been received due to the Hungarian government’s war on civilians. The Hungarian government has a conflict with the Norwegians over the management of NGO assistance programs here:

The Orban wanted to have a say in which organizations could manage civilians’ money, but the supporters wanted nothing to do with it.

According to the communication, the agreements reached provide independent funding to NGOs and provide greater support for climate protection and energy initiatives, business development and innovation than in the previous period, as well as significant support for local development and regional and social integration of the Roma population.

The cooperation agreements cover the execution of the Funds for the period 2014-2021, but the deadline for the execution of projects in all beneficiary countries ends in April 2024. (Originally a 2014-2020 cycle, there seems to be a change here ).

Monday’s agreement, signed by Norway’s ambassador in Budapest, Trine Skymoen, and Imre Ágostházy, the EU Secretary of State for Development, also revealed that the dispute had not yet been fully resolved.

The Norwegians have made it a condition that grants to NGOs be decided by an independent fund manager, and an agreement to that effect is a basic condition for the money to be paid.

Cooperation agreements also refer to the rule of law included in the EU budget agreement.

Furthermore, the special procedure applies to the disbursement of all sources of support from EEA and Norwegian funds, not just NGOs. This means that no program can start until there is an agreement on the administrator of the civil support fund.

“It is particularly important for us to have resources available to NGOs and to manage them independently of the Hungarian authorities,” said Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide, who also acknowledged that difficult and lengthy negotiations had taken place with Hungary.

Interestingly, the whole thing has a greater resonance in Norway than in Hungary. The government decree on the agreement was published in the December 18 bulletin, but the government did not hit it hard.

After the Norwegians, ITM also issued a notice of signing the agreement. Among other things, it was written that Hungary would receive the Norwegian fund already in the third period, with the signing of the agreements, including a national contribution of approximately HUF 11 billion, a total of more than HUF 86 billion of development money. will be available.

Continuation of joint work started in previous funding periods may allow the implementation of new developments in Hungary that support social and economic growth.

Write ITM, without making a single reference to the conflict above.

According to the parties, the agreements are based on the successful continuation of long-term cooperation to the satisfaction of all concerned.

– the communication ends.