Government weekly briefing about sunday shopping, migrant qouta and civil servants

Budapest, April 7 (MTI) – In light of the European Commission’s recent package of proposals on reforming the EU’s refugee laws, the national referendum initiated in Hungary on the mandatory migrant relocation quota system will be “decisive” and of great significance, the government office chief said on Thursday. Lázár said he has proposed setting up a single body of civil servants. Sunday shopping restrictions should remain in place, he said, in connection with a recent top court ruling.

Government: Hungary referendum on EU migrant quota scheme “decisive”

Lázár commented on the package, saying the EC “has published its new concept concerning the quota regime”.

Regarding the national referendum initiated in Hungary, Lázár said that without gauging the opinion of Hungarian voters, the government cannot take a decision or any measures.

“There has not been a national referendum held on an issue of such significance in Hungary since 1990,” Lázár said. The right of Hungarians to decide whom to allow to enter the country cannot be given up, he added.

Lázár proposes setting up single body of civil servants

In the first phase, civil servants employed in county administrative offices will be integrated, to be followed by employees of government agencies from January next year. From January 2018, ministry staff will join them, he told.

Lázár confirmed that from July 1 the responsibilities and tasks of 20,000 county administrative officers — mainly frontline staff — would be redesigned and their wages hiked by 30-50 percent.

Lázár said he will put forward 85 law amendments with the aim of streamlining government administrative procedures.

He has invited the five parliamentary parties for consultations on restructuring the civil service and on EU tenders.

Government: Sunday shopping restrictions should remain

Lázár said the governing Fidesz party acknowledges the decision by the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, approving a referendum question submitted by the opposition Socialist Party on scrapping the law on Sunday shopping restrictions.

A debate is yet to be held within the Fidesz party on the issue, Lázár said, adding, however, he personally opposes having tens of thousands of people working on Sundays.

“It’s a good thing that a public debate is taking place,” he told a regular press briefing.

Since the legislation came into force last spring, retail sale volumes and the number of the sector’s employees have continued to increase, he noted.

Photo: MTI

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