Hungarian Foreign Minister Ferenc Somogyi on Sunday renews the country's call for a temporary EU budget, saying it is better than nothing for the 25-member bloc in the three years beyond 2007.

Whatever a compromise, it is better than nil to fill the bloc's political and economic needs, he told a press conference.

Should Britain otherwise fail to broker a compromise during itspresidency in the second half of the year, it would be necessary for the next presidency, Austria, to help hammer out a temporary budget covering three years, according to Somogyi.

Britain is to take over the six-month rotating EU presidency from Luxembourg on July 1. Austria assumes the presidency in the first half of 2006.

Somogyi said his country will take the proposal to the regional Visegrad group composed of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, before submitting it to the EU and its executive arm, the European Commission.

Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany first made the call for a temporary EU budget in Vienna on Friday when he was attending a two-day meeting of top Socialist and Social Democratic officials from about 20 countries.

A temporary budget could give member states two or three years to consider the EU reform, said Gyurcsany.

Hungary's call came after EU leaders failed to work out a 2007-2013 budget last week, plunging the bloc into a deepened crisis after the French and Dutch rejection of the EU Constitution.

France holds Britain responsible for the budget failure, blasting Britain's refusal to give up its long cherished annual rebate. Britain insists on the refund as a compensation for farm subsidies, which it views as largely benefits France. 
 
Editor: Yan