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US government report reveals concerns about corruption in Hungary, Szijjarto blames former ambassador
A recent U.S. government trade report mentioning corruption in Hungary's public procurement system shows the possible reasoning behind the Trump administration’s decision to impose a 20% tariff on the European Union, Válasz Online reports.
The document, released at the end of March describes the economic practices of individual countries that the United States views as concerning. Though the tariffs apply to the EU, the report singles out Hungary for "stricter-than-EU regulations" and government practices that create bureaucratic barriers for American businesses.
The report mentions Hungary’s public procurement process as one of the most serious concerns, an “extremely high risk of corruption.” It notes that U.S. companies believe these tenders often lack transparency and disproportionately benefit local firms or companies from non-EU countries, such as China.
The inclusion of Hungary in the report comes shortly after Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó blamed "Brussels" for U.S. tariffs, arguing that if EU officials had negotiated more effectively, the measures could have been avoided. The report also raises issues with Hungary’s pharmaceutical pricing system as part of a list of complaints about how certain European countries impose additional obstacles for non-EU firms.
In response to the trade report, Hungary's Foreign Minister Szijjártó said it was compiled during President Biden’s term and claimed the sections on Hungary were scripted by former ambassador David Pressman. Valasz Online highlights, that the text mentions "US companies having expressed serious concerns" and conversations with "US pharmaceutical companies" -- therefore the text is not a political product, but rather the official position of the current US administration.