However, she also emphasized that joining the eurozone requires extensive economic and legal convergence, including reforms to the justice system, and typically takes at least two or three years.
Lagarde noted that 21 EU member states already use the euro and called the currency a natural step for countries committed to deeper integration.
She added that negotiations on Hungary’s entry could not be completed within her current mandate, which runs until autumn 2027.
Despite the long timeline, Lagarde welcomed Magyar’s openness to the euro, saying it signals a potential shift in Hungary’s economic policy direction after years of stagnation in meeting the convergence criteria.
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