Hungarian President Katalin Novak has approved the nomination of Janos Boka to head  a new ministry set up to manage EU affairs on July 4. These tasks have been moved from the justice ministry following the resignation of Justice Minister Judit Varga, who is slated to lead the ruling party Fidesz's list in the 2024 EP elections.

Her successor, Bence Tuzson was also sworn in on Tuesday as the new justice minister.

Among managing EU affairs, Boka will be responsible for cooperation with Hungary’s allies and other ministries during Hungary’s preparation for taking over the rotating presidency in the second half of 2024, cabinet chief Gergely Gulyas said. Varga has overseen these tasks in the past months before her resignation.

Minister of Regional Development Tibor Navracsics, who has been leading talks in Brussels on unlocking EU funds, will remain in his place. His ministry will not be integrated to the new EU affairs ministry.

Boka, 44, was secretary of state for the Ministry of Justice in charge of European Union and international justice cooperation from 2016 until 2018 and from 2020 he worked in the Prime Minister's Office as state secretary for EU affairs.

As pro-government Mandiner.hu put it, Boka became Prime Minister Viktor Orban's "sherpa" at EU summits after Peter Gottfried left the post in late 2020. He was in charge of helping the prime minister prepare for meetings in Brussels and for background negotiations.

He speaks fluent English and French and advanced Russian.

According to analysts, the creation of the new ministry for EU affairs is barely an administrative move and will have little impact on Hungary’s chances of securing EU funds. This will hinge on the government meeting more than two dozen criteria set out in the December agreement and that depends on the political will of Hungary’s strongman Viktor Orban.

The controversial legislation approved on Tuesday revoking teachers' status as public employees also points to the direction that the cabinet is taking and shows that it is not ready to comply with meeting the super milestones. Implementing judicial reforms, tackling corruption and making public procurement more transparent could unhinge the backbone of the regime. On the other hand, the government badly needs funds to finance projects involving green transition, amongst others, as it faces a fiscal crunch with rising debt service coast and lower revenues.