Government decree deathblow to Hungarian environmental safeguards?

Opposition LMP has said it is turning to the Constitutional Court with a request for annulment of a government decree that “has dealt a devastating blow to Hungarian environmental protections”, insisting that companies that violate environmental standards but promise rectify it a contract will be spared punitive action by the authorities.

LMP also demands the resignation of Csaba Lantos, the energy minister, who “has proved his incompetence by helping to scrap environmental protections”, József Gál, the party’s spokesperson told a press conference on Friday.

The (LMP) chairman of parliament’s sustainable development committee is initiating a committee meeting next week and has asked Gergely Gulyas, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, and Lantos, to brief the committee.

Also, LMP will hold a candlelight vigil in front of the ministry next week, he said. He said that whereas the government had insisted the decree would only apply to troubled steelmaker Dunaferr, in effect it would scrap the institutional system of the country’s environmental safeguards. Meanwhile, Gál said LMP wanted licensing procedures for battery plants to be tightened.

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