According to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s evaluation, the Wednesday meeting of the Visegrád countries (V4) and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker was successful, fruitful and useful, János Lázár, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office said at the press conference Governmentinfo 101 which he held jointly with Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács.
The Minister said: the Prime Minister was of the opinion that the V4 countries (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia) expressed concordant views on every issue, and they managed to demonstrate to the President of the Commission that this is a close, effective and successful cooperation. At the working dinner, Hungary, together with its V4 partners, stressed that there cannot be double standards between the Western and Eastern Member States. The application of double standards vis-a-vis the Central-European countries is a daily practice on the Commission’s part: „what is allowed in the West is forbidden in the East”.
Mr Orbán also spoke about the Ukrainian education legislation, and asked Mr Juncker to take firm action on the matter so that students learning in Hungarian should continue to have the rights they formerly had, Mr Lázár stated. He added: in the interest of the protection of the interests of minorities, all laws must be repealed which discriminate against them. He remarked: the Hungarian Prime Minister will also raise the issue at the meeting of the Presidency of the European People’s Party and at the meeting of the European Council. It is the Government’s duty to protect every Hungarian in the Carpathian Basin, he stressed. In answer to a question, he said: he is not aware of the Soros plan having emerged as a topic at the meeting of the V4 and Jean-Claude Juncker.
Financial conditions of Soros plan are secured
In the context of the fact that, according to news reports, György Soros made a considerable proportion of his wealth, some USD 18 billion available to his foundations, Mr Lázár said: the financial conditions of the „Soros plan” are secured. According to the Minister, „this money will start working everywhere”, in the whole of Europe, and will support civil-society communities and parties which want to open the borders of Europe and want to organise immigration.
He also said that there is enormous pressure on the Central-European countries regarding the issue of immigration after the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament (LIBE) adopted a draft which sets no upper limit and seeks to implement a permanent resettlement mechanism.
The most important goal of the Central-European Governments is to avoid mandatory resettlement, and to preserve the stability of their established social relations, he stated. He also said that Hungary does not concern itself with how Germany, France or the Benelux States organise their communities or how they invite immigrants into their countries, but at the same time, they themselves have to foot the resulting bill.
We look upon Hungary as a multi-generational home
The Government looks upon Hungary as a multi-generational home where grandparents deserve recognition, while parents deserve support, and an example must also be set for children, Mr Lázár said.
He confirmed: in November pensioners will receive a pension adjustment due to this year’s inflation which is expected to be around 2.4 per cent, and with regard to the outstanding performance of the economy, pensioners will further receive a pension premium. The expected average combined amount of the two will be between HUF 20,000 and 23,000, while on the fiscal side this will represent an expenditure of some HUF 60 billion, Mr Lázár informed the press.
Additionally, pensioners will also receive Erzsébet Vouchers worth HUF 10 thousand by mail before Christmas, he said.
All obstacles have been removed from Paks project
Mr Lázár told the press: by virtue of the fact that the European Commission released its written position confirming that the Paks project satisfied every condition, all obstacles have been removed from the commencement of the project. He said: based on the Commission’s position, the construction of the atomic power station is a sound investment for Hungary, and as a result, the debate on this has been closed on a definitive basis. Those who had doubts about the rationality of the project have now received a clear answer from the Commission’s communication, he pointed out.
The Minister highlighted: according to the evaluation of the EU body, the Paks project satisfies all legal, technical and economic conditions.
He remarked: the Commission concluded that the Hungarian taxpayers’ invested money will generate a 7 to 9 per cent return.
It is time for CEU to decide what they want
Regarding foreign universities, the Minister told the press: it would be high time for the CEU to decide what they want as the institution requested the amendment of the deadlines laid down in the higher education legislation all summer, and when Parliament has finally yielded to this request, „we may observe political protests once again”. This procedure is not fair, he said.
He told the press about the decision of Parliament, based on which foreign universities operating in Hungary will be required to meet the conditions of the higher education law by 1 January 2019 instead of the beginning of 2018.
Mr Lázár said: the Government expects everyone to meet the statutory requirements during the available time.
The Rector of the CEU „wants to divert the affair to the realm of politics”, despite the fact that coming to an agreement would be in the university’s best interest, he said. He added: it is best if the CEU stays away from the election campaign.
Land for Farmers Programme was lawful
The Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office further spoke about the fact that the Government managed to implement a sale of state assets, the Land for Farmers Programme in such a way that it was lawful and constitutional according to the Constitutional Court.
He said: 200 thousand hectares of land formerly in state ownership were purchased by 30 thousand Hungarian farmers, and the proceeds of the sale amounted to HUF 270 billion.
The decision of the Constitutional Court makes it clear that the Land for Farmers Programme was fully regular, and the conclusion of every contract was lawful, he stated. He added: according to the Constitutional Court, it is necessary to regulate the fate of the proceeds of the land sales, and the body further ruled that the sale of the Natura 2000 areas was also lawful, but the protected status of these areas will have to be maintained also in the future.
US Ambassador in Budapest would be helpful
Mr Lázár took the view that it would greatly help cooperation between Hungary and the United States if there was a US Ambassador in Budapest.
He said regarding the statements made by David Kostelancik in the context of the freedom of the press: the charge d’affaires of the US Embassy in Budapest „talked nonsense” about the situation of the Hungarian press. There would be a need for more US diplomats speaking Hungarian because if they spoke our language, they would see that hundreds of articles critical of the Government are published daily, he said. He remarked: he does not believe in the least that there is no room for critical comments regarding the Government in the press.
The Minister reiterated in answer to a question: Fidesz received a two-third majority in 2010 when circumstances in the press were completely different. In response to the suggestion that businesspeople bought the local newspapers, he said: „the local paper has no influence of any kind in my city”. In answer to the question as to why then they are buying up these papers, he said: it was not him who committed the „folly” of investing his money in this. In response to the question as to whether he considers Tibor Navracsics a traitor, he answered in the negative, and said that he regards the European Commissioner as „an excellent patriot”.
Mr Lázár to turn to European Commission in Czeglédy case
Mr Lázár also announced that he will turn to the European Commission in the Czeglédy case because Csaba Czeglédy (Éljen Szombathely!-MSZP-DK-Együtt), Szombathely municipal councillor, who is suspected of a major crime, „continuously enjoyed” Ferenc Gyurcsány’s political and financial support, and the former Prime Minister’s business was also granted EU funds, through, in the Minister’s opinion, an otherwise flawed decision.
Mr Lázár would like the European Commission to clarify how they see a case where the Commission’s money ends up in a proprietary circle from which a person suspected of the commission of a major crime has also received financial support.
Cabinet discussed issue of vaccines
In the context of the abolition of the mandatory chimney inspections of single-residence family homes, the Minister drew attention to the fact that the chimney sweeping service is free, but every person is also responsible for themselves, and the latest decision is a measure which „seeks to reinforce one’s sense of responsibility”. He further indicated: the inspection of the installed heating system will not be a condition of the issuance of the occupancy permit in the case of the construction of new homes.
He also informed the press: the Cabinet discussed the issue of vaccines, and there are six in total which may become free or subsidised, including the vaccine against smallpox, for which there are major national economic arguments on account of the sickness benefits of parents. In answer to a question, he said that they will also remedy the financing complaints of dentists providing public services.
Mr Lázár pointed out regarding the congestion charge: there is a solution legally so that the European Commission should not insist on this condition. A primarily technical debate will have to be conducted on this matter.
If work force is required, there are reserves in the country
In answer to a question relating to the pay of construction industry workers, he said: the Government does not support the idea of foreign workers coming here so that Hungarian workers should not be paid more. If work force is required, there are reserves in the country, but also in the Carpathian Basin there are enough Hungarian-speaking workers to satisfy the needs of the Hungarian economy.
Regarding the real estate project planned next to Feneketlen Lake, he said: he asked the Government Control Office to clarify whether the Government should file a report with the prosecution service in the case, and whether there are any signs indicating a suspected crime. The 11th District Municipality, too, has plans regarding landscaping regulations, and therefore the project is not likely to go ahead, he said.
Mr Lázár highlighted concerning the tightening of regulations in the wake of the Verona coach accident: the Government took immediate action and launched a consultation regarding the organisation of school trips, and a new, more stringent system has come into being in order to protect children and to reduce the risks of accidents. In the case of the Verona accident, the Hungarian police have to take the firmest possible action, those responsible „cannot get away”, he stated.
At the Cabinet meeting, they also discussed the fact that the amendment of the world heritage law has been initiated, while they further covered the situation related to drilled wells. Regarding the latter, it will be necessary to determine the depth up to which wells may be drilled without a permit, he said.
In response to the suggestion that there is a practice in Europe that chemical castration or forced medicinal treatment is applied in the case of paedophiles and repeat sex offenders, he said: no such proposal has been submitted to the Hungarian Government, but he personally regards the application of this kind of punishment as possible.
Mr Lázár further told the press: the Government invites everyone who considers the country’s freedom and independence important to take part in a joint commemoration on 23 October. The raising of the flag will take place at 8.00 a.m. at Kossuth tér, while Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will deliver a speech at 3 o’clock in the afternoon at the House of Terror Museum.