Ruling parties expect compromise will lead to amended constitution

Budapest, October 12 (MTI) – A compromise can be achieved to secure the two-thirds majority support required for the planned constitutional amendment to block the application of European Union migrant quotas in Hungary, ruling Fidesz group leader Lajos Kósa said on Wednesday.

Kósa told public channel M1 that Tuesday’s consultations between Fidesz and its governing ally, the Christian Democrats, as well as opposition Jobbik had resulted in an understanding that changes would be necessary to the original amendment proposal in respect of several technical details.

Additionally, there was a difference of opinion on one substantial issue. Jobbik proposed that the legislation against the quota that parliament is expected to pass in line with the constitution should be a two-thirds law rather than a simple-majority one, Kósa said.

He said further consultations are planned between the parties as well as one-to-one meetings between the parliamentary party leaders. The parliamentary debate is planned to be held next week.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced after the Oct. 2 referendum on migrant quotas that he would propose a constitutional amendment “to incorporate the will of the people into the fundamental law”. He submitted the proposal to parliament on Monday.

The opposition LMP party’s parliamentary leader, Erzsébet Schmuck, said on Wednesday that LMP had not yet decided whether to vote in favour of the constitutional amendment. She confirmed that the party would not take part in any consultations on amending the constitution, and she criticised the “chaotic” preparations.

Csaba Dömötör, cabinet parliamentary state secretary, told MTI that he “regretted” that the left wing had not participated in consultations on amending the constitution.

“This means that the Socialists and LMP continue to put the matter of Brussels quotas beneath party-political considerations,” he said.

He added that their stance contrasts with the “unambiguous outcome” of the referendum in which “a new national consensus has emerged for the sake of Hungary…”

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI