CNBC: “Hungary and Poland on Monday blocked the adoption of the 2021-2027 budget and recovery fund by European Union governments because the budget law included a clause that makes access to money conditional on respecting the rule of law. The veto is likely to cause a delay in the launch of the 1.8 trillion euro package that combines the EU’s long-term budget and the bloc’s economic recovery plan, but is unlikely to derail it altogether, a senior French official said.”
“‘Hungary and Poland blocking the European budget doesn’t put into question our determination on the recovery and the rule of law,’ French Europe Minister Clement Beaune said on Twitter. ‘A solution will be found in the coming weeks, France is fully involved to find one.’ Ambassadors of EU countries on Monday accepted a deal struck with the European parliament which establishes a clear link between EU money and the respect for the rule of law. They agreed because this vote required only a qualified majority and the opposition of Warsaw and Budapest could not stop it.”