Two non-attached MEPs, Erik Kaliňák and Judita Laššáková, have challenged the European Commission's conditions for releasing frozen EU funds to Hungary, arguing that the requirements interfere with national sovereignty. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 15 April 2026, they specifically target four judicial 'super milestones' (Nos 213–216) that mandate changes to Hungary's judiciary, including the strengthening of the National Judicial Council, election of the President of the Curia, case allocation, preliminary references to the Court of Justice, and review of Constitutional Court decisions. The MEPs claim these conditions go beyond protecting the EU's financial interests and instead encroach on Member State competences.
The question follows Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's 13 April 2026 statement that 'Hungary is coming back to the European path' after the Hungarian elections, yet the Commission continues to demand fulfilment of all 27 super milestones. The MEPs ask on which treaty provision the Commission bases these requirements, how it reconciles them with Article 4(2) TEU on respect for national identity and institutional autonomy, and how it ensures the milestones are not disproportionate or ultra vires.
Concrete demands and policy orientation The question does not set numerical targets or deadlines but seeks legal justification. It reflects a sovereignty-versus-rule-of-law cleavage: the MEPs argue that EU integration should not extend to reorganising national judiciaries, while the Commission maintains that protecting the EU budget requires judicial independence safeguards. The MEPs implicitly advocate for limiting conditionality to financial control, rejecting broader governance reforms.
Expected follow-up The Commission must reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views the milestones as proportionate or is open to renegotiation, potentially affecting the release of billions in cohesion and recovery funds to Hungary.
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