Cbank foundations’ assets public, says House speaker

Budapest, March 2 (MTI) – The assets handled by foundations of the National Bank of Hungary are to be considered as public funds, László Kövér, Hungary’s House speaker, told the Hungarian Catholic Radio on Wednesday.

“What else should they be?” Kövér answered a question in connection with a recent amendment under which the central bank could deny access to information on such funds because once donated to a foundation they would “lose their character as public assets”.

On another subject, Kövér acknowledged critical remarks concerning public education, and said that “the system should have consolidated by now”. He admitted that the government has not been able to handle the “problems obvious for years”. He added that “now the time has come when the obstacles to regular operations must be removed”. He said, however, that schools should not be returned to local governments because the earlier system was “not viable” and insisted that state control over the curriculum should be maintained.

Kövér said he supported that the burden on teachers should be reduced, but added that “nobody should expect public education to be free of all control or instructions”. He warned that teachers are not “independent entrepreneurs” but “labourers of the nation”. The government expects “more discipline and work” in return for “the largest pay hike for teachers of all times”, he insisted.

Concerning a recent incident at the National Election Office, in which a group of thugs allegedly prevented Socialist deputies from submitting a referendum initiative, Kövér said there were “different interpretations” of those developments. He suggested that the referendum law should be changed to prevent “scenes unfit for a democracy”.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters