Opposition criticises government farmland sale in parliament debate

Budapest, October 26 (MTI) – Opposition parties criticised the government’s farmland programme in a parliamentary debate dedicated to the plan on Monday.

The opposition LMP party said the debate was about the future of the entire Hungarian society, and not only about the rural livelihoods. Benedek R Sallai, a lawmaker for the party, told a press conference on Monday that all elites have been “stealing whatever they could put their hands on” over the past 25 years and now they are stealing what is left: the most important natural resource. He said the move would not serve the interests of small farmers.

The Egyutt party said “Fidesz’s land reform” went against Hungarian laws and all “stolen land” would be returned after a change in governments. It said in a statement that Fidesz’s “friends and oligarchs will be held to account for stealing from the Hungarian people”.

The radical nationalist Jobbik party said at a press conference that it would be “standing guard” by each and every land auction in the country. Zoltan Magyar, a lawmaker for the party, said the government has failed to put forward a single convincing argument in favour of the sale of state land in the past months and it is shameful that the opposition has to call a parliamentary debate to get any answers. He said Jobbik will be taking reports from the general public regarding “anything suspicious” they may see during land auctions and if there are reasons to suspect corruption, Jobbik will take legal steps.

Photo: MTI

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