Hungary’s two-day extraordinary parliamentary session is set to open on Monday with an address by the Prime Minister, as MPs prepare to elect a new Constitutional Court judge.
Parliament to elect new Constitutional Court judge
According to the draft agenda published on Parliament’s website, proceedings will begin at 1pm with pre-agenda statements, with Prime Minister Péter Magyar speaking first, the Hungarian news agency wrote
Following statements by parliamentary groups and the adoption of the agenda, MPs may—depending on nominations—elect a new member of the Constitutional Court to replace Csaba Hende, whose mandate has expired. The judge will be elected by secret ballot, requiring a two-thirds majority, for a nine-year term.
Members will also have one hour to question government ministers through interpellations, followed by a session of immediate questions and answers, and a further half-hour of oral questions.
A final vote, postponed last week, on legislative amendments aimed at improving the competitiveness and efficiency of public transport—and establishing a national transport organiser and rolling stock management company—remains on the agenda.
Speaking at Thursday’s government briefing, PM Magyar said the delay was due to technical amendment proposals from the European Commission. On Monday, Parliament will resume debate on the report and amendments ahead of the final vote.
National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, crypto trade, EU funds
MPs will also consider committee reports and consolidated amendments on five additional proposals, including changes to legislation governing the management of weather-related and other natural risks affecting agricultural production. The amendment would allow advance payments under the agricultural damage mitigation scheme.
Lawmakers are due to debate a bill establishing the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, intended to ensure that unlawful management of public assets does not go unpunished. The proposed body would be tasked with identifying, securing, preserving and recovering misappropriated public assets, as well as initiating the necessary administrative and judicial proceedings.
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Two further proposals relate to Hungary’s Recovery and Resilience Plan. Amendments required to meet energy-related commitments would, among other measures, facilitate investment in wind power to increase the share of renewable energy in electricity generation.
A separate bill, concerning tax measures linked to the implementation of the recovery plan and certain government programmes, would abolish tax advantages for public-interest asset management foundations performing public functions, remove tax base allowances for heritage projects, scrap the special immigration tax, and eliminate both the municipal tax and the dog ownership levy.
Parliament will also debate a proposal to repeal certain provisions governing crypto-asset conversion services. The justification is that so-called validation services for crypto-asset exchanges are incompatible with European Union law, as they restrict competition and therefore undermine the functioning of the internal market.
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