HUNGARY, POLAND BLOCK TRILLION-EURO SUPPORT

Hungary and Poland have vetoed the EU's trillion-euro coronavirus recovery package because they object to linking access to Brussels cash with countries' respect of the rule of law, Euronews reported.

Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs told Euronews that the recent changes to the rule of law proposal amounted to "political blackmailing".

He explained that the Hungarian government had not changed its stance and that the recent proposal did not include "objective criteria".

The EU's Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn tweeted that he was 'disappointed' and urged member states to 'assume political responsibility' and finalise the package.

"This is not about ideologies but about help for our citizens in the worst crisis since WWII," he added.