Együtt

Three opposition parties meet executives for building 2018 election strategy

Budapest (MTI) – Three opposition parties met with company executives on Wednesday to outline political strategies for replacing the government in 2018.

The Jobbik party and the LMP party plan to run on individual tickets while the Együtt party wants to form an alliance for the elections, party leaders said in Röjtökmuzsaj, near the border with Austria, where the event was held for the 31st time.

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András Schiffer and Gábor Vona

Jobbik leader Gábor Vona said there are no centrist powers around ruling Fidesz anymore but people feel they have no alternative to Fidesz. At the same time he said voters will not choose Fidesz, though this has been covered by the wave of migration as a red herring. He said Fidesz can only be beaten by the runner-up party and noted that according to poll results, Jobbik has 57 percent support in the under-35 age group.

Jobbik’s foreign policy can best be seen as in a triangle of Germany, Russia and Turkey with the Arab world in which the party keeps equal distance from all three points, he added.

Együtt leader Viktor Szigetvári said the regime was not a centrist power but an illiberal force which failed to handle the social problems of the past 25 years. However, municipal by-elections last year showed that the leftist opposition is not in a position yet to become a rival to the governing parties. “Jobbik would take the country to the same dead-end as Fidesz has done,” Szigetvári said. Együtt represents a “sober, western-type of strong alternative for 2018 with support for a reformed Europe,” he said.

András Schiffer, co-leader of LMP, said the centrist power zone does exist but it is on “shaky ground”. Although polls currently still put Fidesz in the lead, it is a question of time for how long the party can hide its mistakes behind the migrant crisis.

He said while Fidesz used strong and clear language in its communications in 2010-2014 it has become obvious that it has no plans for the post-2014 period. “The question of 2016 will be whether our education and health-care systems can survive,” he said.

Vona said migration and corruption were the two most burning issues in politics at present, and while Fidesz wanted to keep the former on the agenda Jobbik wants to focus on the latter.

Szigetvári said his party is stronger structurally in big cities, adding that Egyutt is open for a “political and linguistic renewal” in the election campaign. “We are open to all cooperation which can lead to victory,” he said, adding that he did not think Jobbik could beat Fidesz and that Schiffer will “make a pact with anyone who comes into power”.

Opposition parties urge enforcement of Istanbul Convention

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, April 18 (MTI) – The opposition Socialist, LMP, and Együtt (Together) parties have submitted a draft resolution to parliament aimed at enforcing the Istanbul Convention on eliminating domestic violence.

Deputies of the party criticised the government, which signed the convention two years ago but has not facilitated its integration into Hungarian law.

At a joint press conference, LMP’s Bernadett Szél said that her party would “not let the government shelve this cause” and demanded that sufficient funds should be ensured to fight problems arising from domestic violence.

Szél proposed that 8 billion forints (EUR 26m) should be set aside in next year’s budget to set up crisis centres, which she said could now only cover a mere 10 percent of the demand. She also added that civil organisations estimated the number of women suffering from violence in their relationships at 223,000.

Opposition reports suspected fraud to police linked to PM’s informal advisor

money

Budapest, April 8 (MTI) – The opposition Egyutt party has filed a report to police over suspected fraud linked to Árpád Habony, the prime minister’s informal advisor, the party’s leader said on Friday.

Viktor Szigetvári said Habony’s lawful income is insufficient for paying back loans and his wealth stems from murky sources, while he maintains links with people handling taxpayer money.

Szigetvári again called on the interior minister to carry out Habony’s national security screening because information has surfaced about his participation in various meetings in state institutions and the prime minister’s home. He also called on the tax office to check those who allegedly lent money to Habony. It is “customary with tax fraudsters” that they claim to have received loans from private individuals in order to cover up their unpaid taxes, Szigetvári added.

News portal 444.hu has reported that the tax office carried out a check on Habony in the spring of 2015. Habony cooperated with the authorities and stated that he had received private loans. According to the portal, these included an interest-free loan of 20 million forints for seven years received from Andras Tombor, the head of the supervisory board of the Tokaj Trading House, in the summer of 2009, and two loans totalling 150,000 US dollars received from film commissioner Andrew Vajna in 2010 and 2013.

Commenting on reports that Habony has filed a report to police for the violation of his tax confidentiality and threatened to take media outlets that carry related reports about him to court, Szigetvári said tax confidentiality was important and Habony has the right to file a report to police. However, the problem is that “a public personality should not voice threats against the free press, and Habony is actually a public personality who is obliged to supply information … and give an account of his growth of wealth”, Szigetvari said.

Top court approves Socialists’ referendum question on scrapping Sunday shopping restrictions – UPDATE

Budapest, April 6 (MTI) – The Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, on Wednesday approved a referendum question submitted by the Socialist Party on scrapping the law on Sunday shopping restrictions.

The decision means that a referendum could be called on the matter, asking voters whether they agree that parliament should scrap the shop-closure law altogether.

With its ruling, the Kúria overturned an earlier decision by the National Election Committee (NVB), which refused to consider the question submitted in February by lawmaker István Nyakó and approved a rival referendum initiative in support of the Sunday shopping ban.

The Kúria said the other question, submitted by Anikó Erdősi, “could not be considered as the first question to have been submitted”. The court said Nyakó’s initiative, on the other hand, was submitted in accordance with Hungary’s referendum law.

The ruling brings an end to a drawn-out debate over an incident that occurred at the end of February when Nyako and Erdősi first submitted their referendum questions to the National Election Office (NVI). Nyakó was held up by a group of “thugs” just long enough for Erdosi to submit her question. The timing of the submissions is significant because Hungary’s current referendum law states that while a question is being examined by a court, it is not possible to submit another question on the same subject.

In early March, the Kuria declared that Nyakó’s rights were infringed when he was prevented in submitting his referendum question.

The NVB and the NVI both filed criminal complaints over the incident.

On Friday, Justice Minister László Trócsányi submitted to parliament a proposal to amend Hungary’s referendum law in a way that would allow multiple initiatives on the same subject to be presented to the NVI.

The Socialist Party welcomed the Kúria’s decision. Party deputy leader Zoltán Lukács, who had been camping out in front of the NVI since early morning, told MTI that the party wants to combine its signature drives for referendum questions on the sale of state-owned farmland and on putting a 2 million forint cap on public officials’ salaries. He said these referendums would be about giving the people an opportunity to express their discontent with the government’s policies, making them “anti-government referendums”.

Nyakó said he had lost faith in Hungary’s election bodies and that he would propose setting up a “genuine” election committee consisting of “reputable individuals”.

UPDATE

János Halász, spokesman for the parliamentary group of Fidesz, said that the party respects the Kuria’s decision. Asked whether the option of scrapping the Sunday shop closure law had been considered earlier by the party, Halász responded by saying that the parliamentary group had not discussed this matter.

The allied ruling Christian Democrats said they also respect the supreme court’s decision and support any referendum that aims to learn the opinion of people.

Jobbik welcomed the Kuria’s decision and said the party will support the referendum with signatures and will also encourage Hungarians to follow suit. Jobbik has also proposed that the referendum should be held together with a government-initiated vote on European migrant quotas.

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK), Együtt, Dialogue for Hungary (PM) and Liberal parties all welcomed the supreme court’s decision.

DK said it sees the decision as “another crack” in Viktor Orbán’s regime and will with its supporters and activists participate in collecting signatures.

Együtt said it demands a thorough investigation into the whole affair.

The PM party however said that it would only support the referendum if scrapping the law will not ultimately result in cutting the Sunday bonus payment for shop employees.

The Hungarian Liberal Party said it would participate in collecting signatures to support the Socialists.

Photo: MTI

Protesters demand transparency of prime minister’s assets

Budapest, March 29 (MTI) – A demonstration was organised by the opposition Együtt (Together) party demanding that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reveal the sources of his wealth.

At the demonstration, held ahead of an auction for state land in Székesfehérvár (W Hungary)on Tuesday morning, Együtt’s deputy leader demanded answers to questions regarding assets associated with Orbán and his family members.

Péter Juhász said that his party would, if it were to win power, recover the state-owned plots “illegitimately” auctioned off, and restitute them to people cultivating them.

Party leader Viktor Szigetvári said that the plots of farmland to be auctioned off included one sized 500 hectares that is “adjacent right to Orbán’s estate”. He also suggested that the land sales programme was about “helping corrupt front men to state loans and land across the country”.

Photo: MTI

Fidesz calls for probe of opposition politician’s assets

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, March 20 (MTI) – The governing Fidesz party has called for a parliamentary investigation into the assets of Péter Juhász, co-leader of the small opposition Együtt (Together) party.

István Hollik, a deputy of the ruling parties, told a press conference that “there have been more and more questions” about Juhász’s financial situation and he has not provided answers.

Hollik asked Juhász, who was present at the press conference, about his flat, for which the rent is allegedly higher than the politician’s income.

Juhász said that his income was supplemented with private donations. He added that none of those donations had exceeded the 150,000 forint threshold which legally requires inclusion in his asset declaration.

Juhász ironically thanked Fidesz and commercial television channel TV2 for a recent interview with him, focusing on the same subject, after which he said he received “millions of forints” in donations.

Juhász also pledged to continue his efforts to uncover more information about the prime minister’s wealth, and insisted that Viktor Orban, his family and friends have accumulated estates with a total area of 5,000 hectares.

Opposition parties protest EUR 1.4bn construction bid

Budapest, March 19 (MTI) – Opposition parties have voiced protest against a recent government bid worth a total 420 billion forints (EUR 1.4bn), citing risks of corruption around the programme.

In a statement, green LMP accused the government of aiming to help companies associated with the ruling parties to hefty contracts. “This is Fidesz’s umpteenth attempt to legalise corruption, but no matter how they shape the rules, theft will be theft,” the party said in a statement.

The oposition Jobbik said that the bid was put out in preparation for “Europe’s largest corruption case”.

The Együtt (Together) party will file a complaint with the European Union’s anti-fraud office in an effort to “prevent Fidesz-associated oligarchs to loot Hungarians’ funds”.

The Hungarian Liberal Party suggested that “Fidesz is uncertain about an election victory in 2018, and wants to ensure that its own favourites profit from programmes financed by EU taxpayers well before the fall”.

Government: Planned building societies to promote new construction

construction

Budapest, March 17 (MTI) – A bill on national building societies, now before parliament, was designed with the aim to boost new home construction, Antal Rogán, the prime minister’s cabinet chief, said on Thursday.

Speaking in the national assembly, Rogán said that passage of the motion into law would contribute to increasing construction, a priority for the national economy. He added that in terms of new housing, Hungary was behind other countries in central Europe.

Fidesz group leader Lajos Kosa told a press conference that the new societies would be “the third pillar” in the government’s home building programme, to complement reduced VAT on home construction and the home purchase subsidy for families.

The bill, submitted on Wednesday, would match 30 percent of society members’ contributions up to 25,000 forints a month. However, the savings could only be used for the purchase of new homes.

Rogán announced plans to establish such societies in January. He said the institution would be based on the model of building societies in the UK, adding that it would give home savings banks some competition.

Hungarians who put money into home savings banks also get a 30 percent state subsidy, but the support is limited to 72,000 forints a year.

The bill would require members to commit to a contribution size and schedule as well as set an upper limit on the price of the property they wish to purchase. No interest would be paid on the contributions.

The price of new homes purchased by members may be between 10 million forints and 40 million forints, though members may make up the difference for more expensive homes in a lump sum upon purchase.

Members who stick to their contribution schedule may be selected to take out an interest-free mortgage loan over the amount of their savings in the society for the purchase of a home. Alternatively, members who have already saved 20 percent of the home purchase price may bid to get the interest-free credit.

Communities under the bill must have at least 120 members, and they may remain established for no less than ten years but no more than 15.

According to the opposition Socialist Party, the proposal was not aimed to help families but one particular businessman, who had earlier organised consumer societies and sold over 1,000 homes.

The leftist Democratic Coalition (DK) said that the planned building societies would be a “subsidised pyramid game” ensuring no protection to “unsuspecting members”. DK’s Lajos Oláh told a press conference that in the new mechanism a “Fidesz-associated company would set up a building society, receive a tremendous amount of public funds” and then the houses would be bought from “oligarchs” associated with the ruling party. “That is how public funds would be turned into private assets,” Oláh insisted.

The Együtt (Together) party said that the new system was reminiscent that of the bankrupt Quaestor brokerage company.

Együtt deputy leader Levente Papa insisted that under the new law the ruling parties would help “cronies” to a market segment and profits in the billion forint range. He suggested that only a “very few” companies could meet the “reliable organiser” criteria, and those businesses could control “nearly the whole of the market”.

Együtt starts signature drive against EU quota referendum

Budapest (MTI) – The opposition Együtt party has started a signature drive in protest of the government taking the EU’s migrant quota plans to a public vote in Hungary.

Együtt also condemns the way other referendum initiatives have been blocked “by force” at the National Election Office (NVI) earlier, Együtt leader Viktor Szigetvári told a press conference on Wednesday. He was referring to events last Tuesday when a Socialist lawmaker was prevented from submitting his referendum question to the NVI in time by a group of “heavy-set, bald-shaved men” who were helping the rival question’s submission.

Szigetvari said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had carried out a “constitutional coup” last week and that he had “questioned people’s right to give an opinion on matters that are important to them”.

The Socialist MP’s referendum question opposing the Sunday shopping ban was rejected by the NVB, the higher administrative body on referendum issues, while another one in support of the already existing ban was passed. Szigetvári said the case could be called “Fidesz’s skinhead scandal” in reference to the men who helped the Socialist MP’s rival at the NVI office last Tuesday. He added that NVB went on to let pass an unconstitutional question to referendum while rejecting the left-wing bid.

On the subject of Orbán’s referendum drive, which has also been approved by the NVB, Szigetvári said it was not about the EU’s mandatory quota plans but about “Orban’s attempt to drive Hungary out of the European Union”. Együtt considers the referendum unconstitutional and will boycott it if it goes ahead, Szigetvári added.

Opposition slams government over appointing Pölöskei Klik chief

Budapest (MTI) – Parties of the opposition have sharply criticised the government for its policy concerning central school manager Klik, and in particular for removing its leader and appointing Annamária Pölöskei to the post.

Dóra Dúró, head of parliament’s cultural committee, delegated by Jobbik, noted that Pölöskei has now been the third Klik chief since the agency’s foundation three years ago. That indicates the government’s acting in a rush rather than an effort to make systemic changes, she said.

Jobbik suggests that schools should be restored to local governments that “had proved to be good masters”, Dúró said.

According to the Democratic Coalition (DK), the appointment of Pölöskei, who is President János Áder’s sister, indicates a “well-working family policy”. Family members of politicians will “obtain public contracts in the billion-forint range, state-owned land and national tobacco shops,” the party said. The relatives of politicians “happen to be Hungary’s best independent experts, too”, they added ironically.

The Együtt (together) party’s Szabolcs Szabó said that Klik had been founded on an ill-considered concept and called on the government to scrap it. He said that Pölöskei was a good and well-known expert, but added that appointing the president’s sister was “not elegant”.

Liberal executive Anett Bősz said in a statement that Klik should not be reformed but scrapped. She also said that “a pro-family government should not be equal to the families of the government and ruling Fidesz to good positions”.

Photo: MTI

Opposition criticises Orbán’s EU summit briefing – Update

Budapest, February 22 (MTI) – The opposition parties criticised Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s parliamentary briefing about last week’s European Union summit on Monday.

Jobbik leader Gábor Vona told parliament that it is not enough that Orbán says he refuses the EU migrant quota system but a constitutional amendment is needed to give way to a referendum about the scheme. Vona asked Orbán to make reference to Jobbik at the next European Union summit in March and say that if the EU forces the quota system onto Hungary then Jobbik will “take people to the streets.”

tóbiás-socialists-hungary

The opposition Socialists said Hungarians “became downgraded” at last week’s EU summit and Orban assisted to this. Party leader József Tóbiás told parliament that despite Orbán’s claims of victory, Hungarians today have fewer rights and receive less money in Europe than before. The decision means there is danger that a two-speed Europe is approaching and this is against Hungary’s interests, he added.

schiffer-lmpThe green opposition LMP said Britain’s reform demands go against the need for a “Europe of the people”. Party co-leader András Schiffer told parliament that the EU does not function properly when it comes to security, welfare and social services, but its institutions are effective when banks’ interests are at stake. Commenting on migration, he said the issue is being mishandled the same way as it was in the past one year and all heads of state and government bear responsible for this.

The opposition Együtt said it demands that Orbán should make every effort to prevent the disintegration of the EU. Zsuzsanna Szelényi, who sits in parliament as an independent, told a press conference that the Hungarian cabinet should make efforts towards a joint European solution instead of promoting division.

The Dialogue for Hungary party said Orbán suffered three separate losses at last week’s summit. Spokesman Bence Tordai said the prime minister’s first loss was that by signing the closing declaration it was revealed that Orbán was being dishonest about the way he said he would handle migration. The second loss was that the EU-UK deal meant that “Britain’s blackmailing” of the EU succeeded, which Tordai said would have a negative impact on eastern European member states. Third, the Europe which the prime minister saw as “a Europe of strong nation states” was revealed to be “a Europe of national selfishness” which he said can now be clearly seen as being harmful for Hungary.

The Liberal Party said the restriction of the rights of the 600,000 Hungarian citizens working in the UK can in no way be interpreted as a “victory”. The party said in a statement that Britain’s EU reform deal will put Hungarians working there at a disadvantage. The Liberals also expressed concern that after the UK-EU deal, Germany, Austria and Denmark may also restrict EU migrants’ access to social benefits. The party, at the same time, welcomed Orbán’s approval of the EU’s earlier decision on migrant quotas, noting, however, that this step by the prime minister is a change of direction from the government’s anti-migrant and anti-quota campaign from earlier “which it [the government] spent billions of forints in taxpayer money on”.

Fidesz group leader Lajos Kósa said at a press conference that the policy suggested by the opposition would result in Hungarian workers being “locked out of the British labour market within two years”. He said the opposition’s demands that Hungary should not give in to Britain’s demands on restructuring its welfare system when it comes to EU migrants would have prevented the EU and the UK from reaching a deal, which would have raised anti-EU sentiment in Britain. Britain pulling out from the EU would mean that it would become very hard for EU citizens, including Hungarians, to work in that country, Kósa said. He said that with the compromise that came out of the talks, Hungarians remain free to take up jobs all across the EU.

Regarding migration, Kósa said the summit’s closing declaration, which makes reference to migrant quotas, simply states that EU rules, including the ones pertaining to mandatory quotas, must be observed by member states. This is almost the exact same statement that appeared in the declaration released after the December summit, over which Hungary and Slovakia both took legal steps, the group leader said.

On the topic of public education, Kósa said he agrees with the recent teacher protests and that they should point out problems in the education system.

Photo: MTI

Opposition parties criticise Orbán over positions at EU summit

Budapest (MTI) – Viktor Orbán suffered a defeat at the EU summit; Hungarians working abroad will now be clearly worse off, the opposition Socialists’ deputy chairman told MTI on Saturday.

Jobbik party said the prime minister had taken a U-turn on the issue of migrant quotas by supporting the European Council’s closing declaration on the relocation of migrants. The party’s deputy head Dániel Z Kárpát said that while the prime minister and his cabinet are using “militant rhetoric” to attack the quotas and collecting signatures at home, they do not stand up for their position abroad. He called on the prime minister to reject all forms of the settlement quota and reinstate independent border control.

MEP István Újhelyi said the United Kingdom could restrict allowances for workers from EU member states for not four, but possibly seven years and other EU member states could also limit certain welfare benefits for workers from EU member states. The opposition politician said the Hungarian prime minister never really cared about the interests of young people and families living abroad and “is even lying about their numbers”. At the Brussels press conference, the prime minister said there are about 200-300 Hungarian families living in England, he added. Újhelyi said Orbán is perfectly aware that there are now several hundred thousand Hungarians working in the United Kingdom alone.

Nóra Hajdú, board member of the Együtt party, also said Orbán was partly to blame for the fact that life will become harder for Hungarians working in the UK. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Hajdú said Orbán also approved the European resolution on the implementation of the migrant settlement quotas in spite of having launched a “shameful campaign” against migration with the national consultation, while the Fidesz party’s local initiatives across the country are calling on the government to do its best to undermine the European Union’s decisions.

Deputy head of the leftist Democratic Coalition Csaba Molnár said Orbán was among the leaders who voted in favour of the distribution of migrants based on quotas and has thereby become a “political celebrity”, incapable of protecting the country. This shows that the prime minister “has lied to Hungarians” because he said in his government’s billboard campaign that the system of migrant quotas is harmful and he will not allow any migrants to be settled in Hungary, Molnár told MTI.

The green opposition party LMP said the prime minister has let Hungarians living abroad down and proved unfit to represent and protect their interests. Party spokesman József Gál told MTI that although the agreement reached at the Brussels summit on the reform package is a success, it is a failure from the point of view of Hungarian migrant workers. He said LMP believes that wages in Hungary should be raised so that Hungarians working abroad will be able to return. At the same time, the Hungarian government should represent the interests of Hungarian workers in Brussels so that they enjoy the benefits they are due as EU citizens while they are living and working abroad.

Government spokesman Zoltán Kovács said the opposition parties that criticise the prime minister for having supported the European Council’s closing declaration on the relocation of migrants are either unfamiliar with the EU’s decision-making process or are deliberately trying to mislead the public on the results of the summit. Kovács said the resolution Jobbik, DK and Egyutt are referring to pertains to the voluntary quota scheme proposed last summer on distributing 40,000 migrants from Italy and Greece among other member states, strictly on a voluntary basis. Kovács stressed that Hungary did not approve the mandatory quota scheme.

The government spokesman said Hungary’s position on the matter has not changed. The government continues to oppose migrant quotas and believes that the EU has failed at handling the migrant crisis, which is why the Visegrad Four grouping of Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic have recommended a migrant policy based on border protection, he said.

Opposition parties disappointed with Orbán-Putin talks

Budapest (MTI) – Opposition parties expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday which they said “appeared to be quite meaningless”.

The opposition Együtt party said the announcements made by Orbán and Putin did not warrant such a high-level meeting and that Hungary’s interests would be to reduce energy dependency on Russia, which means Hungary should be more reserved in its relations with that country.

The leftist opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) called the Orbán-Putin encounter reminiscent of old communist leaders’ meetings. Attila Ara-Kovács, a foreign affairs speaker for the party, said Orbán spoke against the future of the European Union, while also jeopardising Hungary’s energy independence. “Orbán signed a nuclear contract which it had kept secret from his own people while putting them into debt with a giant Russian loan. He could not have served Moscow’s interests more,” Ara-Kovács said.

The opposition LMP party said Wednesday’s Orbán-Putin meeting should have aimed at cancelling the Paks upgrade contract. József Gál, a spokesman for the party, told a press conference that the extended long-term gas contracts bring “neither energy security nor energy independence” for Hungarians. Instead, Hungarians should be spending on insulation, as without it, “we will be heating the streets with Russian gas”.

The radical nationalist Jobbik party said it “welcomed” the affirmation of long-term gas contracts and the fact that Orbán had expressed opposition to sanctions against Russia. Márton Gyöngyösi, a lawmaker of the party, said it was reassuring that Russia stood behind the Paks upgrade, while it was attacked by the EU. Jobbik supports the project, except for the fact that the contracts have been classified, he said.

The Socialists said not much was made public about the “real” content of the Orbán-Putin talks, which were held behind closed doors. Tamás Harangozó, deputy leader of the party’s parliamentary group, said the timing of Orbán’s visit was “not coincidental” and that the Socialists “hoped” that the Hungarian premier was not in Moscow to receive “instructions” before the EU summit starting on Thursday.

Photo: MTI

Fidesz group leader says suggestions for improving school system should get hearing – UPDATE

Budapest, February 15 (MTI) – Hungary’s public schools system is far from perfect and suggestions for improvement should get a fair hearing, Fidesz parliamentary group leader Lajos Kósa told public radio on Monday.

Experiences gained at the education roundtable and the compromises struck between representatives of teachers and the government should be built upon, Kósa told Kossuth Radio.

He underlined the government’s message that teachers have already received what amounts to the biggest pay rise since the change of political system over 25 years ago.

A system for maintaining schools is needed, but it is “neither here nor there” what the institution in charge is called, Kósa said, referring to demands that the central state institution (Klik) that currently runs Hungary’s schools should be scrapped. He said the previous system for maintaining schools under local council control had gone bankrupt and the central government had taken over accumulated debts of 1,300 billion forints, a large part of which were connected with schools provision.

Zsuzsanna Szelényi, a lawmaker for opposition Együtt, told a press conference in response that the party calls for real consultations on education with the inclusion of participants who can directly take action in the interest of children. She said that thousands of teachers and parents turned out at a demonstration on Saturday to express concern over the future of children. “The government does not seem to understand what education should be in the 21st century which is to achieve that children exploit their skills to a maximum,” Szelényi said.

Speaking in parliament on Monday afternoon, the prime minister said he supported talks in roundtable on public education. Viktor Orbán noted that teachers demanded an 18 percent pay rise which he said he would “not contest”, adding however that fulfilling that demand “was at the moment impossible.” He asked teachers to be patient and wait until the government concludes its pay rise programme in the law enforcement, health care and public administration sectors. Today, a primary school teacher earns 40 percent more than in 2010 and a secondary school teacher takes home 27 percent more in salary than five years ago, said Orbán.

Speaking in parliament, Dóra Dúró, a lawmaker for radical national Jobbik, said that fundamental changes “pushed through” unilaterally in education over the past five years by the government without consultations with teachers and schools had triggered the recent “scandal” in the sector. She stated concern that teachers deciding to participate at demonstrations were threatened to lose their jobs.

Bence Rétvári, state secretary at the human resources ministry, said in response that Jobbik in 2010 had supported the concept of putting education institutions under state management. He rejected charges that teachers had been intimidated, and insisted that in Hungary everybody has the right to express their opinion at a demonstration.

István Ikotity, a lawmaker for opposition LMP, said the government was unable to realise the gravity of the education issue and sought to dismiss problems as non-existent.

Rétvári responded by pointing out progress made in education such as increasing spending in the central budget on the sector and introducing a career model for teachers.

Terrorism, migrant crisis should be handled separately, say left-wing parties

Budapest (MTI) – Hungary’s left-wing parties believe that terrorism and the migrant crisis represent great challenges to the country but the two issues should be handled separately and solutions sought in keeping with the constitution, the deputy head of parliament’s national security committee, said on Monday.

Zsolt Molnár, of the opposition Socialist Party, said that he had invited representatives of green opposition LMP, the Democratic Coalition, Együtt, the PM party and the Hungarian Liberal Party to the talks. All parties except LMP were represented at Monday’s meeting, he added.

The participants confirmed that they found a ruling Fidesz proposal to amend the constitution in connection with the threat of terrorism unacceptable. They insisted the ruling parties had refused to discuss the merits of the case and were unwilling to compromise.

Lajos Kósa, the Fidesz group leader, criticised the left-wing parties for not supporting the proposal, saying those who refuse to support the government’s proposal are those who withheld their support for building the fence at the country’s border and tightening asylum rules. They did not support sending police army units to protect the border, either, he said in a statement.

Migrants are more important to them than Hungarians, whereas for Fidesz “the safety of Hungarian people comes first,” said Kósa, adding that the governing party would stick to its proposal to introduce stricter terrorism-related laws. These require a constitutional amendment and a two-thirds majority to pass.

Photo: MTI

Oppostion calls for more assets transparency

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, February 1 (MTI) – The tax authority should monitor private loans provided or taken by politicians, the head of the opposition Együtt party said on Monday.

Viktor Szigetvári insisted that politicians “mostly belonging to Fidesz” covered up “holes” in their incomes or assets by “undercover” loans from private individuals. He accused ruling party politicians of amassing loans of typically around ten million forints. The current system of annual asset declarations does not involve having to provide any further details, he added.

Szigetvári also suggested the government should set up an online database of the asset declarations of public officials including municipal council members. The current system of asset declaration is “risible”, he added.

Szigetvári referred to last year’s declarations published earlier on Monday, and mentioned for example Antal Rogan, the prime minister’s cabinet chief, whom he said leads a far more luxurious lifestyle than his income would enable him to.

Similarly, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó and János Lázár, the head of the government office, “buy houses, land, and repay loans while they lack sufficient income; these people must be living on thin air”, Szigetvári said.

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) demanded greater transparency and access to all previous declarations. Zsolt Gréczy, the party’s spokesman, criticised the current system of filing declarations and demanded that they should be filed electronically and there should be an open-access database of all previous declarations. DK also demands asset declarations by politicians when entering and leaving their posts to allow scrutiny of any wealth increases, including those of their relatives.

The opposition Dialogue for Hungary (PM) party said asset declaration of politicians’ relatives should be transparent and any loans by private individuals should be on the record.

The ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrats said they want to know where 900 million forints (EUR 2.9m) DK leader Ferenc Gyurcsány recently gained on the sale of his stake in a private business had “disappeared” to. Gyurcsány failed to enter that amount in his asset declaration, Istvan Hollik, a lawmaker for KDNP, told a press conference.

He added that the system in Hungary for asset declarations is one of the strictest in the European Union and is entirely appropriate in its present form. He noted that in the recent past, the government amended rules on asset declarations to ensure that not only lawmakers, but also their relatives, must present the relevant documentation. This data is then checked by the authorities, he said.

Opposition criticise government admin restructuring plan

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, January 25 (MTI) – The opposition Socialist and Együtt parties on Monday criticised the government’s recently announced administrative restructuring plans.

Government office chief János lázár announced last week the plan that involves restructuring and eliminating more than 70 state-owned institutions and bodies financed from the central budget in a bid to cut red tape.

He said talks will begin between the Prime Minister’s Office and the various ministries within the next few days on how some institutions can be merged into ministries, how outsourcing can be eliminated and the system operated more cheaply and simply. Some 50,000 people are staffed at these institutions, he added.

The Socialists said the measure will serve ruling Fidesz’s aim to build a “a state ruled by the party”. It is the wrong policy pursued by the wrong government which will result in the elimination of an independent, professional state administration system, creating a structure that will make the implementation of Fidesz’ policies easier, Karoly Beke, a board member, told a press conference.

Együtt said the measure lacked any logic and the reason for the listing of the affected institutions was incomprehensible. The restructuring will inevitably lead to the appointment of new state secretaries and their deputies from the ranks of Fidesz, expanding the government, Szabolcs Szabó, a party lawmaker, told a press conference.

Astonishing preponderance of government in the Hungarian media

According to the news analysis of Nézőpont Institute, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is the most-speaking government politician, while Gábor Vona (Jobbik) is the first among the opposition politicians. The big loser of this competition is András Schiffer (LMP), nol.hu wrote.

According to the analysis of the fourth quarter in the last year the Prime Minister spoke 299 times in the evening programs of the channels (TV2, RTL, M1, HírTv, ATV and Echo TV) examined by Nézőpont Institute. According to the institute, János Lázár’s high number of appearance (247) was due to his press conference called Government Info, which was held every week.

Among the pro-government representatives, faction leader Lajós Kósa had the most appearance (111), while Gábor Vona was the most active opposition MP; he spoke 93 times. Socialist party chairman József Tóbiás finished second; he had 79 appearances. Viktor Szigetvári came in third with 66 speeches, while the appearance of András Schiffer (LMP) considerably fell compared to the previous quarter – Nézőpont added.

The analysts said the highest appearance ratio of Fidesz was in the programs of Echo TV (8.1%), while the lowest ratio (4%) was measured in RTL news, nol.hu reported.

ATV ensured the highest appearance ratio for the Socialists (10.4%). In the case of Jobbik, Hír TV had the highest Jobbik-related news: 5.9% of the news in total was aimed at the radical party.

The “over-representation” of Együtt and PM parties continued to increase in the broadcasts of ATV and RTL. Együtt has a 4.3% appearance ratio in RTL and 3.7% in ATV, while PM had 1.7% in RTL and 2.9% in ATV – Nézőpont wrote.

Immigration remained a dominant topic during the last quarter of the year, and the news about foreign terrorist attacks occurred more frequently after the Paris attacks on November 13. In addition, other policy issues like family support system and children’s catering also appeared on the agenda.

According to nol.hu there was no significant change in the news program of TV2 called Tények despite the fact of a new owner directing the channel. Tények news magazine was the longest among the 6 channels’ news analyzed by Nézőpont. Moreover, Tények contained the most reports related to accidents, criminal matters and tabloid. As before, TV2 news provided the least Hungarian political news in the last quarter as well – the institute found.

Photo: MTI

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