Parliament session today: Lawmakers pass resubmitted property law and other important laws

Budapest, December 12 (MTI) – Lawmakers on Monday passed a resubmitted law on the non-pecuniary transfer of state and local-council-owned property that President János Áder had sent back to parliament for reconsideration. Lawmakers passed with minor changes a law tightening conditions for building wind farms that President János Áder had sent back to parliament for reconsideration.

Áder expressed concerns over the planned transfer of Budapest’s Erzsébet Square and several surrounding properties to the state from the metropolitan council.

Lawmakers approved the law with 128 voters in favour, 34 against and 22 abstentions.

Áder had said that a property transfer should only be completed with consent from the municipality, adding that neither the city council nor the mayor of Budapest had been consulted before the bill was tabled.

The Budapest council earlier expressed its “surprise” that ownership of the square was being transferred to the state, saying it had not been consulted.

Under the original law, the 2.6 hectare square itself and three adjacent properties are to be transferred to the state on Dec. 15 without any money changing hands. The justification of the law says the downtown square as a public park would thus be handled and operated “in a unified way”.

The reconsidered law postpones the deadline of transfer from December 15 to 31, and stipulates that the sides concerned should conclude the contract on operation by January 31, one month later than originally scheduled.

Parlt passes law tightening conditions for building wind farms over Ader’s objections

Parliament approved today an amendment to Hungary’s health and health insurance laws, incorporating the guarantees urged by President Janos Ader who had returned the amendment to parliament for consideration. The MPs voted for the resubmitted law with 127 in favour and 56 against.

Áder had returned the legislation to lawmakers for reconsideration, arguing that it effectively makes the construction of wind farms impossible.

János Lázár, the government office chief, earlier said the government disagreed with Áder’s stance on the issue of wind power generation. Lázár argued that Hungary would be able to reach the goals outlined in the Paris climate change agreement without more wind power. He said the cabinet’s standpoint was not negative but rather cautious for certain ecological and economic reasons.

Parliament approves health amendment incorporating guarantee urged by Áder

Under the changes, passed by parliament on Nov. 22, health authorities would have been granted the power to enter and search any facility on their own, without the consent of the owner. The authority would have had the power to question the owner or employees, as well as to search vehicles.

Áder said in a letter to parliament that those changes, if signed into law, could impact the constitutional rights of citizens while allowing actions that would not necessarily be purposeful or proportionate.

In line with the new amendment approved by parliament on Monday, the approval of the prosecutor’s office is required for the health authorities to enter and search a facility.

Source: MTI