Kúria rejects request for repeat review of signatures for land sale referendum

Budapest, August 26 (MTI) – Hungary’s supreme court, the Kúria, has rejected a request by opposition Socialist MP Zoltán Gőgös for the National Election Office to once again review the validity of signatures for a referendum to prevent a further sale of state-owned farmland.

The Kúria said that Gőgös had failed to specify in his request which signatures he believed the election office had failed to check in line with the regulations.

Gőgös submitted the collected signatures on June 28 and the election office started checking them on July 4. The head of the office said on August 19 that Gőgös had failed to collect the required 200,000 valid signatures to support his initiative.

Gőgös , however, said that during the election office’s review of the validity of signatures, the office failed to follow relevant legal regulations.

Under Hungary’s referendum law, if the number of supporting signatures collected falls between 100,000 and 200,000 the decision of whether or not to hold the referendum rests with parliament.

The Socialist Party said in response that they acknowledge the Kúria’s decision.

“The Kúria has passed a decision that is in line with the election law designed by ruling Fidesz,” the party said, adding that “the matter of the referendum will continue in parliament.”

Source: MTI