"We are impressed by Poland’s efforts to restore the Rule of Law as the backbone of its society. These efforts are decisive. Next week the European Commission will table decisions on EU funds freeing up to €137 billion for Poland" - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday in Warsaw. "We waited a while, but we got it!

"We need to put pressure on our friends in Budapest to do what they need to do," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during Monday's press conference. "I hope that your saga with NATO will soon come to an end. It would be an unforgivable mistake if one NATO country blocked the accession of another, which is ready to actively work for common security.

The President of Hungary announced her resignation on the Hungarian M1 news channel on Saturday over a pardon granted to a man convicted in a child sexual abuse case. “Politics is a tough, sometimes cruel world”, – said Katalin Novák.

– Hungarians should immediately agree to Sweden's accession to NATO; it is worth assembling a coalition to exert positive pressure on Hungary on this issue, said the Deputy Prime Minister, head of the Ministry of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, at Tuesday's press conference.

EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell suggested on Monday in Warsaw that member states consider a temporary pause in weapon exports to countries, excluding Ukraine.

– There is no money in the world that we would let migrants into the country and LGBTQ propagandists into schools – the Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán alluding to the 20 billion Euros that are still withheld by the European Commission due to their alleged rule-of-law concerns. On January 18, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the violation of the rule of law in Hungary. MEPs also expressed disapproval of the European Commission's decision to unlock EUR 10.2 billion from…

The lower house in Poland (the Sejm), voted 240-191, with three abstentions, to approve budget the bill, which the Senate will take up on Jan. 24. According to the budget bill approved by the Polish lower house (Sejm) on Thursday, state revenues are planned at nearly PLN 682.4 billion (EUR 154.9 billion).

– Hungary-Slovakia relations have never been as good as they are now – Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said after talks with Slovak counterpart Robert Fico in Budapest on Tuesday, noting the launch of a new bilateral cooperation.

In his first New Year's address, Czech President Petr Pavel criticized the ruling coalition for inadequate communication with the public. He praised the government's efforts in Prague to improve public finances but simultaneously called on Czech authorities to take specific actions to abandon the crown and join the eurozone.

On Friday, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, held talks with the Hungarian Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, as announced in a statement released by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 15.

Hungary has obstructed the European Union's endorsement of a financial assistance package for Ukraine consisting of 50 billion euros ($55 billion). Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed financial aid just hours after allowing bloc to start membership talks with Kyiv.