Foreign minister Szijjártó would have fired diplomats asking for home office during the epidemic

Péter Szijjártó, foreign minister of Hungary, spoke about his employment principles during the peak of the coronavirus epidemic at a meeting of ambassadors. Meanwhile, it seems that he negotiated about the Belarussian crisis on board of a luxury yacht circulating on the Adriatic sea.

According to 444.hu, the minister told at the meeting that there was a magic word, home office. But he did not allow any Hungarian diplomats to work from home. He added that he asked his secretaries and department leaders to list those colleagues whose work they can spare during the epidemic, but he added that they should thank them for their service, as well. “Interestingly, there were no names on the lists” – he highlighted.

Index.hu reported in March that the trade union of the employees working in the public administration wrote a letter to PM Viktor Orbán and asked him to show a good example and encourage home office in the sector. They specifically mentioned those suffering from chronic diseases, raising small children and colleagues above 65 in their letter. 

Meanwhile, it came to light that

deputy foreign minister Levente Magyar rebuked the ministry’s department leaders and the ambassadors

because they did not keep the usual flow of business during the epidemic.

Szijjártó cleared on Wednesday that those asking for home office would have been fired. 

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He also said that he does not support trade unions in the ministry and those who would like to “play trade union” inside should do that outside. Making foreign policy is specific responsibility which means duties not only in good but also in hard times. And those who disagree can leave – he highlighted. 

Interestingly, it came to light that

Szijjártó was working on board of a luxury yacht owned by a Hungarian billionaire after the outbreak of the Belarussian crisis

but he refused to answer the questions of 444.hu on the issue. Instead, he kept repeating that the yacht issue is his private matter.

Source: 444.hu