Hungary received a total of EUR 920.44m from the EU’s Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund between 2007 and 2009, the business daily Vilaggazdasag reported on Friday, citing National Development Agency Deputy Director of Integration Laszlo Simon.
Hungary accounts for 6.48pc of European Union payments, fifth place among EU countries in this regard. Hungary received EUR 805.27bn from cohesion and development funds, the third most in the EU, but the remaining payment from the social fund would only place the country in the top nine as of December 2009.
The European Commission has called the increased speed of operative programme completion in Hungary, resulting in a higher-than-expected 62pc absorption for 2007-2013, “extremely satisfying.” The EU has also praised how the government used cohesion politics to deflect the harmful effects of the economical and financial crisis, but warned that Hungary should “pay increased attention to the long-term goals of programs”.
Of the 24 priority projects submitted, the EU has approved 17, the second-highest figure following Romania’s 19.