Ms Vra Jourov?:

It is easy. In spite of that the Commission said that Hungary should do that and that it wants to see it done in practice, not only on paper or at the level of promises. The Commission then put the case on the table of the member states. Now Hungary has until 19 November to have everything under that roof for this new legislation. As I said, we believe they will manage. Then the Council has an additional one month, or until 18 December, to decide whether the ministers for finance will be satisfied and close the case or whether they will accept the proposal of the Commission to freeze 65% of the cohesion funding. The process has strict deadlines, which is a good thing. The Commission also felt strong pressure due to these deadlines and so we had to decide, which we did. I am glad that the final decision does not stay with the Commission. It should be down to the member states to decide on that because it is their taxpayers' money. Who says now that this is weak and easy for Hungary to fulfil?

The regulation is what it is and the process became, rather than the protection of the rule of law, the protection of EU money. That is why it goes to the table of the ministers of finance. This is not a complaint. I am glad we have this leverage but, as the rule of law person, I would have loved to see a stronger set of rules.