European Investment Bank to Boost Lending for Hungarian Projects

Hungarian Finance Minister Kármán András announced that the European Investment Bank (EIB) will become significantly more active in Hungary, committing to support many more projects with favourable loans. The ministry and the EIB have already identified priority sectors such as renewable energy, social housing, health care, and railway modernization, including the replacement of trains and locomotives.

EIB Vice‑President Marko Primorac confirmed that the bank intends to expand its lending capacity after the EU unlocked €16.4 billion of previously frozen funds for Hungary. The EIB, which lent €759 million to Hungary last year, sees room to increase this amount and plans to co‑finance large‑scale investments in energy diversification, infrastructure and housing. The Hungarian government will soon present specific projects to the European Parliament to unlock additional pandemic‑recovery resources worth €10.4 billion.

The discussions also touched on Hungary’s aim to reduce dependence on Russian energy, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the finance ministry seeking a balanced approach between fiscal consolidation and stimulating growth through targeted investments.