Orban To Present New Government On June 6
(MTI) – Prime Minister Viktor Orban will present his new government on June 6, Janos Lazar, the head of the PM’s Office, announced in parliament on Tuesday.
Speaking in a debate on the future structure of Hungary’s ministries, Lazar said the new governmental structure would be “clear, simple and straightforward” rather than one “seeking political equilibrium”.
The Prime Minister’s Office will be turned into a ministry to be in charge of governmental coordination, as well as of the distribution of European Union funds to Hungary, Lazar said.
Contributing to the debate, Peter Szijjarto, foreign trade and foreign affairs state secretary at the PM’s office, said that Hungary’s foreign policy should be centered around the foreign economy, to help the country benefit from changes in the global economy and global politics.
In the new governmental structure, an integrated foreign economy and policy ministry will be set up to “successfully represent Hungarian interests in a new world order”, Szijjarto said.
Szijjarto said the new structure would facilitate that one third of Hungary’s total exports is sold outside the European Union by 2018, as well as increasing Hungary’s agricultural and food exports by an annual 10 percent.
Socialist lawmaker Tamas Harangozo, however, criticised the new structure and said that it only served to ensure unlimited political and economic power to ruling Fidesz.
Harangozo insisted that the minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office would exercise “manual control” over all personnel decisions in state administration, and have disposal rights over “thousands of billions” in European Union funds.
The co-ruling Christian Democracts voiced their support to the new governmental structure.
Photo: MTI – Szilárd Koszticsák
Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters
