The Tisza Party, following Brussels’ lead, wants to mislead Hungarian students about their right to participate in the Erasmus programme and undermine the successful Pannónia Scholarship Programme — “and doing so in true collar style,” said Minister of Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó in a video posted Tuesday on his Facebook page.

The minister stated, “we know that the worse it is for Hungarians, the better it is for the Tisza Party.”

He recalled that in late 2022, Brussels unlawfully excluded Hungarian students and researchers from the Erasmus and Horizon programmes. In response, the Hungarian Parliament amended relevant laws based on Brussels’ recommendations, while the government launched the successful Pannónia Programme. “In the last academic year alone, 8,115 students travelled not only across Europe but also to the world’s leading universities,” the minister noted.

“To see things clearly — and not through Tisza-tinted glasses — let’s look at what their amendment really contains,” Hankó said.

According to the minister, the amendment submitted by the Tisza Party to the European Parliament supports Brussels’ exclusion of Hungarian students and researchers. It also agrees that rectors and university professors should be banned from the boards of university foundations and that NGOs should decide who can serve as Hungarian rectors, deans, and board members.

Hankó emphasized that the proposed change would also cripple the popular Pannónia Programme by demanding compliance with Brussels’ unlawful decision.

“Moreover, in a hypocritical and deceitful way, it aims to create a so-called virtual Erasmus framework that would not be linked to Hungary at all, granting only secondary rights — and with a budget less than half that of the Pannónia Programme,” he said.

He added that the real motive behind the Tisza Party’s actions is political alignment with Brussels rather than support for Hungarian higher education. “Just a month ago, six Hungarian universities’ lawsuit in Luxembourg made it clear that Brussels violated EU law — the exclusion lacked any professional or legal basis. Yet the Tisza Party stands with Brussels, not with Hungarian students,” Hankó said.

He concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment: “We will reclaim what rightfully belongs to Hungarian students and researchers. We will continue the success of the Pannónia Programme and the HU-rizon Programme. Go Hungarian students, go Hungarian researchers, go Hungarian universities!”