Parliament approves revised amendments to central bank act

Budapest, April 26 (MTI) – Parliament on Tuesday approved revised amendments to the central bank act that narrow the exceptions under which foundations and companies established by the National Bank of Hungary are exempted from disclosure rules.

Amendments to the act approved earlier by MPs were referred to the Constitutional Court by President János Áder. The court ruled late in March that some provisions exempting such entities from disclosure rules applying to publicly funded institutions were unconstitutional.

Lawmakers approved the revised amendments with 112 votes for, 61 against and no abstentions.

The opposition Socialists proposed an action plan concerning the central bank’s foundations. Bertalan Tóth, the party’s deputy group leader, told a press conference that not only the foundations but their companies should be scrutinised by the State Audit Office and also urged a parliamentary investigation. He called on the foundations concerned to release all data requested by his party.