– 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.

In an official letter addressed to the European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Johannes Hahn, on Thursday, Hungarian Finance Minister Mihály Varga reminded that although there has long been consensus that defending the borders of the European Union is a collective responsibility of member states, Hungary almost exclusively bears the financial burden of protecting its southern Schengen border.

European Union unlocked €10.2 billion ($11 billion) of funding for Hungary on Wednesday, December 13. The move on the eve of a key European summit could also have implications for Ukraine.

Polish new Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said that under his government Poland will reclaim its leading position in the EU and a strong position in the NATO by respecting the larger community. "Poland is and will remain a key, strong, sovereign element of the North Atlantic Alliance. It will be a loyal, stable, confident in its principles, strength, and significance ally of the United States. Poland will regain the position of a leader in the European Union.

"The European Parliament lifted the immunity of four PiS MEP's for speaking out against illegal migration. This is the beginning of the end...

Poland’s president Andrzej Duda has tapped the outgoing prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki of the Law and Justice party, to try to form the country’s next government.