LMP backs Socialists’ call to hold special session of parliament

Green opposition LMP has backed the Socialist Party’s call to hold a special session of parliament over the summer.

Last month, the Socialists called for parliament to hold an extraordinary session to amend Hungary’s higher education law after the European Commission stepped up an infringement procedure against Hungary over earlier amendments to the law.

LMP co-leader Ákos Hadházy expressed his support for the initiative at a press conference on Thursday but proposed that the agenda should also include passing legislation to suspend evictions in the cases of troubled forex loan holders as soon as possible. He said that some 3,000 borrowers ended up on the street last year while more than 10,000 eviction procedures had been launched so far this year. Hadházy added that bans on evictions should last until the situation of troubled borrowers is resolved.

He said his party’s motion to suspend evictions was backed by Jobbik and the Dialogue party, adding that there were reports that the co-ruling Christian Democrats were also prepared to support it.

István Ujhelyi, the Socialist Party’s deputy leader, told the same press conference that if parliament failed to act in connection with the higher education law, the matter would be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union, which could leave Hungary with a hefty fine.

Ujhelyi said his party was proposing to hold the parliamentary session on August 21. He said the Socialists would also back discussing the situation of forex borrowers at the session.

The support of at least 40 lawmakers is required for a special session of parliament to be convened.

The ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrat alliance said it does not support convening a special session of parliament.

“[US financier] George Soros is having his local followers convene the Hungarian parliament to repeal ‘Lex CEU’ and place the Soros university above the law,” Fidesz said in a statement.

Source: MTI