BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday said a proposal to make EU development funds conditional on upholding democratic principles and the rule of law was no more than a "political slogan" used to attack member states.
Orban told a late-night news conference with Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne, the holder of the bloc's rotating presidency, that Hungary would discuss a proposal on conditionality if a specific one came, but none had been put forward yet.
Hungary and its ally Poland have been at odds with the European executive for years over policies that Brussels says are eroding democratic checks and balances.
Rinne said on Sunday that all EU countries looked ready to accept that European Union development funding should be made conditional on respect for democratic principles.
(Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by Kevin Liffey)