Lázár: Billboard ad bill unlikely to garner two-thirds needed

The Fidesz-sponsored legislation on political advertising, sent back to parliament by President János Áder, is unlikely to get the two-thirds majority needed on its second reading, the government office chief told a weekly press briefing on Thursday.

János Lázár said the ruling party had been open to opposition proposals regarding the bill to restrict political billboard advertising beyond official election campaign periods but none had been forthcoming.

He said talks in parliament were ongoing, but it was unlikely a two-thirds would be mustered to pass the bill. Referring to covert party financing of political ad campaigns, Fidesz, he added, had a responsibility to guarantee transparency through legislation requiring a simple majority.

Lázár said it was unlikely that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán would make it back from the Brussels summit in time for Friday’s vote.

Orbán told journalists in Brussels that party financing scandals had to be eliminated, and clear laws were needed. He said the government had not submitted the bill in question, and, asked about whether there was a lack of a two-thirds, he responded: “Had the government submitted it, then I think I would have had to have been at home [in Hungary].”

Referring to the head of the ruling party’s parliamentary group, Orbán said: “If Lajos Kósa says that I should go, then I will go home, naturally. When I came here, he said that this was not expected.”

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI