Unity pledges “modern, European” republic

(MTI) – Hungary’s leftist parties have formed the Unity alliance to build a “fair, modern, European new republic”, Socialist leader Attila Mesterhazy, Unity’s prime minister candidate, told an election rally in western Hungary’s Zalaegerszeg on Friday.

Parties of the Left want to recreate “democracy, justice, welfare, economic growth and new jobs”, Mesterhazy said.

Concerning the government’s recently publishing reports concerning former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany’s “lies speech” in 2006, Mesterhazy said that “such attacks will only make Unity stronger”, and suggested that the interior ministry had published selected information as seen necessary by the ruling parties.

On the subject of the government’s utilities cuts programme, the Socialist leader said that the scheme was “unjust and not sustainable” but rejected allegations that the Left, should it win the elections, would want to reverse it. The Socialists propose that the cuts should be tied to incomes or consumption, and support that European funds should be used to assist residents in insulating their homes or installing modern ways of heating, he added.

Unemployment is Hungary’s greatest problem, Mesterhazy said, and insisted that the next government should help create jobs that ensure decent wages to employees. Unity wants to significantly increase the number of new jobs and build a knowledge-based economy, rather than making Hungary “an assembly plant”, he said.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters