Budapest: Hungary and Poland said on Thursday the EU could not attach rule-of-law conditions to funds unless the bloc changed its founding treaty, digging in their heels after vetoing the EU budget and a coronavirus recovery fund earlier this month.

The European Union is investigating the nationalist governments of the two countries for undermining the independence of their judiciaries and media, and had sought to attach conditions to the disbursement of EU cash.

Poland and Hungary responded by blocking €1.8 trillion ($2.9 trillion) worth of EU funds, including hundreds of billions due to be disbursed soon to help pull the bloc out of a double-dip recession caused by a second wave of COVID-19.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said those who would withhold the emergency funding were being "irresponsible, as at a time of crisis rapid decisions are needed to aid the economy."