The foreign ministry is in the process of terminating employment by mutual agreement of 45 government officials as part of an internal review and restructuring, György László Velkey, the ministry’s parliamentary state secretary, said on Facebook on Tuesday.
Hundreds dismissed?
In contrast, sources speaking to Telex claim that at least one hundred individuals have been dismissed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recent days, formally by mutual agreement and on grounds of a loss of trust. Other accounts suggest the figure may be closer to two hundred.
On this basis, the scale appears comparable to the upheaval seen in October 2014, when Péter Szijjártó assumed control of foreign affairs from Tibor Navracsics, and effectively from his predecessor, János Martonyi.
Staff members who spoke to Telex said they had been taken aback by Tisza’s decision to dispense with their services, particularly as many had previously lent their support through their votes. That said, the individuals in question were employed either in ministerial or state secretary cabinets—positions that are typically subject to turnover following a change of government.
Tisza, for its part, maintains that it is parting ways only with those who had become compromised through their association with Péter Szijjártó, especially those who remained alongside him in recent years. The party argues that, in the process, a number of capable diplomats have also been unfairly sidelined.
Foreign ministry sacked only 45 officials, 38 already signed the mutual agreement
The affected are a few dozen of the ministry’s 1,000-plus employees, direct political appointees under Péter Szijjártó, the former foreign minister, who had “damaged Hungary’s credibility, eroded trust with allies, and left the country discredited on the EU’s periphery”, Velkey wrote.
Everyone in the process of being let go has been given reasons, and 38 have already accepted, Velkey said. He stressed the sackings were not a purge but fair treatment, while standing up for those in the ministry who had been “victims” of recent events. “Our goal is only to build a new credible and reliable Hungarian diplomacy that truly serves the common good, the real Hungarian interest and the Hungarian people,” he said.
The ministry denied reports of 200 dismissals, saying the new leadership was establishing its own operational order organically. “Decisions affecting employees are made humanely and take into consideration personal circumstances,” he added.
Government ministry restructuring begins
The restructuring of government ministries has begun, with the aim of building a public administration that truly serves the common good and the Hungarian people, the cabinet said on the kormany.hu website.
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According to the statement, institutional restructuring has started at the ministries to renew public administration in full compliance with applicable labour laws, the principle of proportionality, and the requirements of fair procedure. The restructuring is closely linked to ongoing review procedures aimed at uncovering the wrongdoings and operational anomalies of past years, it added.
“The Tisza government clearly recognises that a significant portion of ministry employees have performed their work honestly and professionally over the past years and cannot be held responsible for the wrongdoings, mistakes, and inhumane decisions of the Orbán government,” the statement said.
“At the same time, it must also be said that there were those who were not merely executors but active servants of a corrupt system that for years served the enrichment of a narrow circle of power rather than the interests of the Hungarian people. The purpose of the reviews is precisely to clearly separate honest professional work from the service of political aims,” it added.
The goal is to build a public administration that truly serves the common good and the Hungarian people, the statement concluded.
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Featured image: depositphotos.com
