(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, FEB 12 - Hungary should not have received 10 billion euros in EU funds that were frozen over rule-of-law concerns, a legal advisor to the EU's top court said Thursday, calling for the 2023 decision to be annulled. The European Parliament took the European Commission to court after it unlocked the funds in December 2023 -- accusing it of caving to pressure from Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who was blocking efforts to support Ukraine. Parliament argued Hungary had not met the rule-of-law thresholds set by the commission to warrant releasing the funds. Delivering her opinion for the Court of Justice of the European Union, advocate general Tamara Capeta sided with parliament in saying the court should "annul the commission's contested decision" which was made "without any explanation." "The Commission may not disburse EU funds to a member state until the required legislative reforms are in force and are effectively being applied," a court statement said. Such opinions are non-binding but often set the tone for the court's ruling, which is due in coming months -- as Hungary gears up for April elections with Orban trailing in the polls. Contacted by AFP, the commission said it "takes note" of the opinion, while reiterating that its decision was "based on a thorough assessment" of reforms undertaken by Hungary. It was not immediately clear what consequences there would be for Hungary if the court follows suit. But Green EU lawmaker Daniel Freund called it "a good day for the rule of law," predicting that if the court does annul the decision, it would be "a financial disaster for Orban." In Hungary, the prime minister's advisor Balazs Orban accused Brussels of "trying to blackmail our country with legal tools" over its continuing opposition to Ukraine's EU bid. The European Commission had announced the unfreezing of funds on the eve of a critical summit to decide on opening membership negotiations with Ukraine that Orban had threatened to block. (ANSA-AFP).