Hungary's Magyar starts early EU talks to unblock funds

Hungary's incoming prime minister Peter Magyar said on Friday he was about to start initial talks with EU officials in Budapest as there was no time to waste in his efforts to unblock funds frozen by the bloc over disputes with his predecessor.



Magyar, whose landslide victory in an April 12 election will end nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's 16-year rule, said he would kickstart the discussions by setting out points where he and the EU already agreed.



"I expect a constructive negotiation. It will not be easy because we have very little time," he told a news conference.



He said the chief of staff of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen would arrive at around 5 p.m. local time as part of a high-level delegation.

"The aim is... to map out before the new government is formed what we agree on and what are the conditions that the next parliament can pass as a law and comply with European conditions," Magyar said.



He is aiming to take office as prime minister on May 9 or 10, depending on when the president calls the inaugural session of parliament following the election.