NGOs say 2017 budget boosts inequalities

Budapest (MTI) – Sixteen NGOs have assembled a package of proposals for areas where they think that next year’s budget would further increase social inequalities.

In a statement on Thursday, the NGOs said the budget awards more to those who already have plenty while taking away funds from the disadvantaged.

Over 80 percent of housing support will go to the better-off, according to the NGOs. No measures have been drafted to reduce housing poverty, they added.

The NGOs therefore propose introducing national housing subsidies and building social housing as well as providing money for renovations.

Meanwhile, they noted that households in which two people need daily care must live from state support worth only 70,000 forints (EUR 221) a month, and this is supposed to cover both carers and those receiving care. The NGOs argue the state should spend more money on fees for carers.

Wages for people working in social care, health care and education have fallen behind significantly compared with pay for people — the large majority being men — who have jobs in the security and defence sectors, the statement said, adding that the government does not have a strategy for eliminating inequalities.

Further, there are 27 environmental chapters of the budget which are to be merged and this money will be diverted to activities the large part of which cause damaging pollution, the statement said, adding that the NGOs propose 13 areas where funding could be put towards environmentally and socially sustainable projects.

Finally, they said the general trend abroad is for NGOs to have a greater say when it comes to drafting the budget. In Hungary, however, there is less and less time given over to the views of civil groups in parliament on how public money should be spent.

The package of proposals was drawn up by A Város Mindenkié, az Atlátszó, a Civil Közoktatási Platform, az Energiaklub, Gyerekesély Egyesület, Habitat for Humanity Magyarország, JÓL-LÉT, K-monitor, Költsegvetési Felelősségi Intézet, Lépjunk, hogy léphessenek, Levegő Munkacsoport, Magyar Szegénysegellenes Hálózat, Női Érdek, Oktatói Hálozat, Pedagógusok Demokratikus Szakszervezete and Romaversitas.

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