referendum

Socialists to combine signature drives for three referendum questions

Budapest (MTI) – The Socialist Party on Friday announced its intention to combine signature collections for referendum questions on the Sunday shop restrictions, the sale of state-owned farmland and on putting a 2 million forint cap on public officials’ salaries.

Speaking at a press conference in Veszprém, in western Hungary, party leader József Tóbiás said lawmaker István Nyakó, whose referendum initiative on scrapping the shopping law was approved by the supreme court earlier this week, had consulted with the opposition politicians who submitted the other two referendum questions on combining their campaigns to collect the 200,000 supporting signatures each question requires to be put to a binding referendum.

The referendum initiative aimed at thwarting the government’s state-owned land privatisation programme was proposed by deputy Socialist leader Zoltán Gőgös, while the question on a salary cap for public officials was put forward by independent MP Zoltán Kész.

Tobias said that over the last five years, the government had restricted people’s right to express their opinion on matters that affect their lives. The people were never asked how they felt about the sale of state-owned farmland or if they thought that “it was right for government officials to pay themselves millions in salaries” when Hungarian average wages fall short of the EU average, he said. “Nor were they ever asked if they agree with Sunday shop closures.”

Under Hungary’s referendum law, petitioners have 120 days to collect 200,000 signatures in support of a referendum question.

April 9, 2016

Government weekly briefing about sunday shopping, migrant qouta and civil servants

Budapest, April 7 (MTI) – In light of the European Commission’s recent package of proposals on reforming the EU’s refugee laws, the national referendum initiated in Hungary on the mandatory migrant relocation quota system will be “decisive” and of great significance, the government office chief said on Thursday. Lázár said he has proposed setting up a single body of civil servants. Sunday shopping restrictions should remain in place, he said, in connection with a recent top court ruling.

Government: Hungary referendum on EU migrant quota scheme “decisive”

Lázár commented on the package, saying the EC “has published its new concept concerning the quota regime”.

Regarding the national referendum initiated in Hungary, Lázár said that without gauging the opinion of Hungarian voters, the government cannot take a decision or any measures.

“There has not been a national referendum held on an issue of such significance in Hungary since 1990,” Lázár said. The right of Hungarians to decide whom to allow to enter the country cannot be given up, he added.

Lázár proposes setting up single body of civil servants

In the first phase, civil servants employed in county administrative offices will be integrated, to be followed by employees of government agencies from January next year. From January 2018, ministry staff will join them, he told.

Lázár confirmed that from July 1 the responsibilities and tasks of 20,000 county administrative officers — mainly frontline staff — would be redesigned and their wages hiked by 30-50 percent.

Lázár said he will put forward 85 law amendments with the aim of streamlining government administrative procedures.

He has invited the five parliamentary parties for consultations on restructuring the civil service and on EU tenders.

Government: Sunday shopping restrictions should remain

Lázár said the governing Fidesz party acknowledges the decision by the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, approving a referendum question submitted by the opposition Socialist Party on scrapping the law on Sunday shopping restrictions.

A debate is yet to be held within the Fidesz party on the issue, Lázár said, adding, however, he personally opposes having tens of thousands of people working on Sundays.

“It’s a good thing that a public debate is taking place,” he told a regular press briefing.

Since the legislation came into force last spring, retail sale volumes and the number of the sector’s employees have continued to increase, he noted.

Photo: MTI

April 7, 2016

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

April 6, 2016

Justice minister submits proposed amendment to referendum law

Budapest, April 1 (MTI) – Justice Minister László Trócsányi on Friday submitted to parliament a proposal to amend Hungary’s referendum law.

The amendment would alter the rules for submitting referendum initiatives to allow multiple initiatives on the same subject to be presented to the national election office (NVI).

All petitioners can therefore start collecting the 200,000 signatures needed for a referendum to be called, irrespective of any overlaps in their questions. Once the national election committee (NVB) has certified the 200,000 signatures supporting a referendum initiative, rival signature collection campaigns have to be wound up and further questions on a given subject are no longer allowed to be submitted.

Under the amendment, the government or the president could not initiate referendums on subjects for which signatures are already being collected.

The new rules were originally proposed by the NVB and the NVI.

Hungary’s current referendum rules state that while a question is being examined by a court, it is not possible to submit another question on the same subject.

April 1, 2016

Election office, committee to file criminal complaints over February 23 incident

Budapest, March 31 (MTI) – The National Election Committee (NVB) and the National Election Office (NVI) on Thursday said they would both file criminal complaints over an incident that occurred in front of the election office last month.

A group of “thugs” allegedly prevented a Socialist MP from submitting a referendum question on Sunday shopping restrictions.

On Feb. 23, István Nyakó attempted to submit his referendum question to the NVI but was held up by the group just long enough for a rival referendum question to be submitted. The incident allowed another petitioner, Anikó Erdősi, to submit a question in support of the shopping ban before Nyakó could submit his.

András Patyi, the head of the NVB, said that although the complaint “may seem symbolic”, it is a warning that the committee considers the actions of the “thugs” a violation of the rules of Hungary’s election process, the referendum law and criminal law. The filing of the complaint was proposed by the Socialist delegate to the committee’s Thursday session.

The NVI later revealed to MTI that Ilona Pálffy, the office’s head, also filed a criminal complaint against an unknown perpetrator over the incident on Tuesday.

They said it was after the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, declared earlier this month that Nyakó’s rights had been infringed when he was prevented from submitting his referendum question that Palffy decided to file the complaint.

March 31, 2016

Kúria thwarts referendum on officials’ families benefitting from public bids

Budapest (MTI) – The supreme court on Wednesday threw out a referendum initiative aimed at banning family members of mayors from winning major public projects.

The referendum, initiated by independent lawmaker Zoltán Kész, sought to ask voters whether companies owned by mayors’ families should be excluded from public procurement bids worth over 100 million forints (EUR 319,000) on the basis of a conflict of interests.

The National Election Committee rejected the initiative in January, saying that under the proposed restriction those companies could be excluded in which the relatives of municipal officials have but a minimum share. The restriction, applied in a general sense, would go against the constitutional right to enterprise, they said.

The case was elevated to the Kúria on the proponent’s appeal. The supreme court’s ruling is binding and non-appealable.

In another binding ruling on Wednesday, the supreme court approved another referendum initiative by Kész on changing campaign financing rules for parties. The question would ask people whether parties entering an election should have to pay back any public funding received if they fail to get 2 percent of the votes on national party lists.

The National Election Committee approved the question in a decision earlier this year which was challenged by the Hungarian Workers’ Party in the Kúria.

Kész now has 120 days to collect the 200,000 supporting signatures for a referendum to be called.

Photo: MTI

March 31, 2016

PM party MEP submits Paks expansion referendum question

Budapest, March 30 (MTI) – Dialogue for Hungary (PM) MEP Benedek Jávor on Wednesday submitted a referendum question concerning the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant to the National Election Committee (NVB).

If the question is approved by the committee, citizens would be asked: “Do you agree that Hungary’s parliament should pass a resolution mandating the government to initiate the cancellation of the agreement it signed with Russia on expanding the Paks power plant?”.

Jávor told a press conference after submitting the question that its phrasing is deliberately similar to the government’s question on mandatory migrant quotas. He said he was “curious to see” if the NVB would “apply double standards” in the cases of two questions that both pertain to international commitments. Jávor said that if the government’s migrant quota question was approved then it is only fair that his own question should also be put up for referendum.

The MEP said he would turn to the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, if his question is rejected.

Jávor said the loan from Russia to expand the power plant would leave Hungary indebted to Russia for decades to come.

“Hungarians have a right to express their opinion on this completely mindless investment … which violates several EU laws and regulations, goes against the goals of its energy policies and more importantly, common sense, the country’s interests and as I believe, the will of the majority as well,” he said.

Hungary signed an agreement in January 2014 on the construction of two blocks at the Paks nuclear power plant by Russia’s Rosatom. Russia is lending Hungary 10 billion euros to cover 80 percent of the project’s costs.

Photo: MTI

March 31, 2016

Socialists support referendum to thwart state-owned land sales

Budapest, March 29 (MTI) – The opposition Socialists have decided to support a referendum initiative aimed at thwarting the government’s state-owned land privatisation programme as well as to put a 2 million forint cap on public officials’ salaries.

Socialist MP Zoltán Gőgős told a press conference in front of Parliament on Tuesday that his party will help collect the required number of signatures to submit the referendum initiative proposed by independent MP Zoltán Kész.

Gőgős said the goal was to gather the 400,000 signatures to support the two referendum questions by June 3.

In the proposed referendum, voters would be asked if they agreed that the salaries of employees of companies managing national assets should not exceed a monthly gross 2 million forints.

In the same referendum, participants would also be asked if parliament should ban the sales of state-owned farmland by law.

Socialist leader József Tóbiás said that ruling Fidesz “dreads people giving an opinion on their government, therefore they will block referendums”.

The referendum, if given the go-ahead by election authorities, will be an opportunity for people to voice their dissatisfaction with the government’s “arrogance, ostentation and thieving”, Kész told the press conference.

Gőgős repeated his earlier position that the land auction programme was “the greatest crime” since the regime change in 1989-1990.

March 29, 2016

Government considers Sunday reopening of shops?

The government would rather change the law that prohibits most shops from opening on Sundays than risk the losing of a referendum, nol.hu reports.

It is almost certain that the referendum confirming the ban on the opening of shops will not get through the Curia of Hungary. In this situation, the loss of prestige would not be so great, if they modified the law themselves.

The government has been reported to be making inquires about retail chains’ stand on the ban. Multinational companies have managed the loss of Sunday customers by extending their opening hours on Friday and Saturday. Moreover, now workers’ Sunday wage supplement is no longer an expense. However, smaller chains are affected more negatively. They suffer not only because of the Sunday ban, but also because they have lost many of their customers to the competition on Fridays and Saturdays. According to nol.hu. These shops would endorse the lift on the ban, although workers’ increased wages might pose difficulties for them.

Surveys on public opinion show that people supporting the Sunday ban constitute a minority; likewise politicians, close to the government, are aware that a referendum on maintaining the ban most likely cannot be won.

Copy editor: bm

March 27, 2016

Socialists demand election committee certify party’s referendum initiative

Budapest, March 18 (MTI) – The opposition Socialists on Friday called on the national election committee (NVB) to convene a meeting and certify the party’s referendum initiative on Sunday shopping restrictions.

Party leader József Tóbiás told a press conference that a recording made on Feb. 23 in front of the national election office (NVI), which has just been released, clearly shows that election fraud was committed. He added that the election committee previously stated there was no link between Anikó Erdősi, who submitted the referendum initiative before the Socialists, and the “thugs” who prevented the Socialists from getting there first.

The Socialists want the committee to make clear its initial decision was wrong and approve the referendum initiative submitted by Socialist lawmaker István Nyakó, Tóbiás said. Further, he said he suspected the decision, which even the committee’s head, András Patyi, voted against, came on “central pressure”. Tobias also called on the Kuria, the supreme court, to annul NVB’s decision on Erdősi’s bid in light of new evidence.

Camera footage showing the foyer of the NVI office on February 23 has been published by tabloid Bors. On the video Erdősi and her company are seen arriving to the office after the Socialists, but “bald-headed men ushered her forward and body blocked the way.”

Tóbiás said the Socialists also demand that the national security committee hear Fidesz deputy leader Gábor Kubatov to see if he is connected with the events at the NVI. Further, if it were proven that the NVI or the NVB had assisted in these events in any way, that would indicate that they were unfit to oversee the fairness of elections in Hungary, he added.

March 18, 2016

Socialists demand right to referendum

Budapest (MTI) – Demonstrating in front of the headquarters of the National Election Office in Budapest on Tuesday, the opposition Socialist Party demanded that the people’s right to a referendum be upheld and the independence of taxpayer-funded public media secured.

Socialist lawmaker István Nyakó, on the occasion of the March 15 national holiday, demanded the “abolition of shameful censorship”.

“We’ve come with demands, not to celebrate,” he said, adding that on the same day in 1848 no one took to the streets to celebrate but rather to demand a republic, citizen rights, press freedom and the abolition of censorship.

He called on demonstrators to join together in the fight for “the freedom of the people to vote in a referendum” on the question of Sunday shopping restrictions.

When the Kúria, the supreme court, rules on the issue of the referendum “we will wait here in front of the headquarters of the election office and we will be many,” Nyakó said.

Photo: MTI

March 16, 2016

Socialists demand review of Sunday shopping referendum decisions

Budapest, March 11 (MTI) – The opposition Socialist party has appealed to Hungary’s supreme court, the Kúria, asking it to review decisions passed by the National Election Committee (NVB) in connection with two referendum initiatives on the Sunday shopping restrictions, the party’s deputy group leader said on Friday.

The party has asked the Kúria to annul the NVB’s ruling accepting the initiative submitted in support of the already existing Sunday shopping law, Zoltán Lukács told a press conference.

The Socialists have also asked the court to annul NVB’s ruling rejecting their lawmaker’s referendum question opposing the Sunday shopping ban and approve the question for a referendum, he said.

The Kúria has 90 days to come to a decision, said Lukács, insisting that the initiatives were submitted in an unlawful manner late last month.

Socialists will stage a demonstration in front of the National Election Office on March 15 and they want a committee set up to investigate the issue, he said.

In an incident on Feb. 23, Socialist lawmaker István Nyakó attempted to submit his referendum initiative to the National Election Office but was held up by a group of “thugs” just long enough for a rival referendum question to be submitted.

Hungary’s referendum rules state that while a question is being examined, it is not possible to submit another question on the same subject.

Photo: MTI

March 11, 2016

LMP proposes inter-party talks on changes to referendum rules

Budapest, March 5 (MTI) – The green opposition LMP has decided to “dust off” its earlier proposal to amend Hungary’s constitution in order to “restore the institution of referendum to the people”, LMP co-leader András Schiffer said on Saturday.

Schiffer told a press conference that his party would discuss the proposal with the other parliamentary parties on Tuesday.

István Ferenczi, a member of the LMP board, said that proponents of referendum initiatives should compete when collecting signatures in support rather than in “getting to the check point earlier”. He referred to a recent incident in which a group of thugs delayed a Socialist MP submitting a referendum initiative while another proponent gained precedence at the National Election Office. The Office, under current regulations, deals with the initiative first received.

The opposition Socialists said in reaction to LMP’s call that an investigation into the thug incident should come before five-party talks on referendum laws.

Socialist leader József Tobiás said that a “decent and fair” new referendum law was needed, but ideas cannot be discussed before “it is established what happened” at the Election Office “on that Black Tuesday”.

Tobis said that the “complete truth” should be revealed, with special regard to the identity and goal of the thugs, as well as the persons instructing them.

March 5, 2016

Police launch probe into election office incident

Budapest, March 4 (MTI) – The national police on Friday launched an investigation into an incident which took place at the election office last Tuesday, when a Socialist politician’s attempt to submit a question for a referendum on Sunday shopping restrictions was allegedly physically prevented by a group of thugs.

István Nyakó, the Socialist politician who tried to submit his referendum question, told MTI that he was informed on Friday by police that a probe would be launched into the incident. Police later confirmed that an investigation had been ordered into alleged electoral fraud against an unknown perpetrator.

Nyakó said he believed it was Thursday’s ruling by the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, declaring that his rights were infringed when he was prevented in submitting his referendum question, that convinced police to open the investigation.

The Socialist politician told MTI that he will be interviewed by police as a witness in the alleged electoral fraud case next Monday.

March 4, 2016

Kúria: Socialist MP rights infringed during referendum submission

Budapest, March 4 (MTI) – The rights of Socialist lawmaker István Nyakó were infringed when he was prevented in submitting a referendum question to the National Election Office (NVI) last week, the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, said in a ruling.

The ruling however left other parts of a decision by the National Election Board (NVB), the higher administrative body on referendum matters, unchanged, which means that the Kúria has not found fault with the NVB accepting the rival referendum question, which had been submitted a few seconds before Nyakó’s.

Nyakó attempted to submit his referendum initiative concerning Hungary’s Sunday shopping ban, but he was held up just long enough for Mrs Erdősi, the wife of a Fidesz politician, to submit a rival referendum question in support of the already existing shopping ban.

Hungary’s referendum rules state that while a question is being examined by a court, it is not possible to submit another question on the same subject, which is what made the timing of the submission significant. The NVB’s decision accepting Mrs Erdősi’s question can be challenged in another procedure, the Kúria said in its statement published on its website late on Thursday.

March 4, 2016

Kubatov condemns thug incident at Election Office

Budapest (MTI) – Gábor Kubatov, deputy leader of ruling Fidesz, has condemned an incident in which a group of thugs allegedly prevented a Socialist deputy from submitting his initiative to the National Election Office (NVI).

Kubatov, interviewed by MTI on his way back from the United States, said over the phone that he had seen footage of the incident and found what had happened “improper”. He added he hoped that rules on submitting such initiatives would be changed to avoid similar developments in future.

The opposition has suggested a link between Kubatov, who is president of soccer club Fradi, and the thugs seen at the Election Office last Tuesday, who were allegedly associated with Fradi’s security services.

Photo: MTI

March 4, 2016

Migrant quota referendum criticism ‘outrageous’, says foreign ministry

Budapest, March 3 (MTI) – The foreign ministry on Thursday said it was “outrageous” and “unacceptable” that certain European leaders have criticised the Hungarian government for “exercising one of the most basic tools of democracy” by initiating a referendum on the EU’s mandatory migrant quota scheme.

The ministry responded to remarks Secretary-General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland made to the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday in which he implied that by holding the referendum, Hungary was “retreating from” European human rights principles.

“[S]tates cannot simply opt in and out of their international obligations as they see fit,” Jagland told the council, referring to the referendum initiative.

Hungary’s foreign ministry rejected Jagland’s “accusations” in a statement and stressed that Hungary has always complied with all international conventions.

The ministry said that in line with international accords Hungary provided care for 400,000 migrants last year, but added that the government is sticking to the stance that no international agreement guarantees illegal migrants the right to decide which European country they want to live in.

Hungary will protect both its own borders and those of the Schengen Area, the ministry insisted, adding that Hungary does not wish to take in any illegal economic migrants on the basis of mandatory migrant quotas. The ministry noted that Hungary has challenged the redistribution scheme in court.

Hungarians have the right to express their opinion on a matter that affects their country’s future to the extent that migrant quotas would, the ministry said.

Photo: MTI

March 3, 2016

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.

March 3, 2016