2013. augusztus 31., szombat
2013. augusztus 30., péntek
Hungary is on the right way
Created: 16th December, 2010 16:12 (Archivum)
In 2011, the ratio of the annual
government deficit will be below 3% and the ratio of the debt is also
likely to decrease, said Viktor Orban at a press conference in Vilnius
after he met Andrius Kubilis, Lithuanian PM last Friday.
Hungary is not planning to turn to the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) because of the Moody's downgrade by two notches to Baa3 last week,
said Hungary's head of government.
It is always better to rely on the money market instead of international organizations.
Responding to the journalists' inquiries, he admitted there are differences between the views of the government and the central bank (NBH) on monetary policy issues, but noted this was not unusual.
"We are on entirely different standpoints regarding the basics of economic policy and this is what is causing the tensions. The central bank follows the economic philosophy of exactly that era that led up to the economic crisis," he added.
Hungary's cabinet strives to bolster the local economy by "unconventional" measures, such as the levy on the financial sector and "crisis taxes," Orbán said. He also noted that they are trying to co-operate with the central bank as well.
"Democracy is like a café, there is always clamour and dispute but that is part of life," he added.
During the meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart, Andrius Kubilis, the main topic was the energy policy, which is a key issue not only in Central Europe, but also in the whole European Union. Viktor Orban stressed that Hungary is going to do its best during the presidency, although the next year is going to be the most difficult one for the EU in the past twenty years. Hungary's EU presidency is an excellent chance for Central Europe, especially if we take into consideration that Poland takes the presidency during the second half of 2011 and Lithuania takes the presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in January 1, 2011.
The Hungarian PM stressed the special relations between Hungary and Lithuania because of their common historical background; both countries experienced the previous socialist system.
After the meeting, Viktor Orban received the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas. This award was given him in 2009 for the cooperation and his support for Lithuanian independence. The Hungarian PM expressed his gratitude in the name of the people of Hungary.
Orban then travelled from Vilnius to the Estonian capital, Riga, where he met the Estonian prime minister. The Hungarian PM visited the Lithuanian and Latvian prime ministers during the Hungarian preparation for the EU presidency.
It is always better to rely on the money market instead of international organizations.
Responding to the journalists' inquiries, he admitted there are differences between the views of the government and the central bank (NBH) on monetary policy issues, but noted this was not unusual.
"We are on entirely different standpoints regarding the basics of economic policy and this is what is causing the tensions. The central bank follows the economic philosophy of exactly that era that led up to the economic crisis," he added.
Hungary's cabinet strives to bolster the local economy by "unconventional" measures, such as the levy on the financial sector and "crisis taxes," Orbán said. He also noted that they are trying to co-operate with the central bank as well.
"Democracy is like a café, there is always clamour and dispute but that is part of life," he added.
During the meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart, Andrius Kubilis, the main topic was the energy policy, which is a key issue not only in Central Europe, but also in the whole European Union. Viktor Orban stressed that Hungary is going to do its best during the presidency, although the next year is going to be the most difficult one for the EU in the past twenty years. Hungary's EU presidency is an excellent chance for Central Europe, especially if we take into consideration that Poland takes the presidency during the second half of 2011 and Lithuania takes the presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in January 1, 2011.
The Hungarian PM stressed the special relations between Hungary and Lithuania because of their common historical background; both countries experienced the previous socialist system.
After the meeting, Viktor Orban received the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas. This award was given him in 2009 for the cooperation and his support for Lithuanian independence. The Hungarian PM expressed his gratitude in the name of the people of Hungary.
Orban then travelled from Vilnius to the Estonian capital, Riga, where he met the Estonian prime minister. The Hungarian PM visited the Lithuanian and Latvian prime ministers during the Hungarian preparation for the EU presidency.
(fidesz.hu)
"The Future of EU Intelligence and Internal Security"
29th March, 2011 12:08 (Archiv)
National security remains the sole responsibility of each Member State, as the Lisbon Treaty clearly defines.
At the same time the Stockholm Programme calls for very specific
issues to be dealt with, in particular the division of tasks between the
Union and the MS, solidarity between MS, reflection of a proactive and
intelligence-led approach, stringent cooperation between the Union
agencies, including further improving their information exchange, a
focus on implementation and streamlining as well as on improvement of
preventive action and last but not least at all: the aim of making
citizens aware of the importance of the Union's work to protect them.
The goal of the Hearing on the Future of EU Intelligence and Internal Security is to provide a forum on this important set of topics through the involvement of high-level officials and professionals.
Time has come for stocktaking as the security challenges and the changing face of terrorism and organized crime and the relationship between them highlights the importance of stronger and redefined cooperation between the security services not only on bilateral but multilateral level under the umbrella of the EU. The questions on the forms of cooperation in intelligence require thought-provoking discussions especially now that the implementation of the EEAS is in progress. Are the exchanges of information efficient and sufficient enough? Are we connecting the dots? Are we doing everything to take preventive measures against threats affecting the European way of life? Do we see clearly and without doubts the border line between the internal dimension of external security and external dimension of internal security? What is the methodology of task sharing in practice? The shift from the "need to know" approach towards the "need to share" principle cannot exist without mutual trust. What are the key aspects of building trusted relationships between the symbolic authorities of national sovereignty in the European Union? What are the key areas where European cooperation is necessary? It would be an advantage for MS to mutually examine the models and strength of the other and could possibly learn from each other by integrating experiences bearing in mind the main objective of uniting of forces.
Can Europe afford having fragmented intelligence presence across the globe in a world of rising global threats and global competition? Is it realistic to start thinking about the foundations of a future common EU intelligence?
However, trust has another dimension, namely the democratic accountability of EU agencies dealing with home affairs. What lessons can be learnt from different existing MS practices? What can be implemented on EU level without putting the basic principles and functioning of the intelligence and security organizations at risk and increasing the safety and security of European citizens?
Draft Programme
14:30 Welcome Speeches
Ms. Ágnes HANKISS, MEP
Dr. Simon BUSUTTIL, MEP and EPP coordinator in the Committee on Civil
Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
14:45 Panel 1: EU intelligence and internal strategy
Mr. Ilkka SALMI, Director of EU Situation Centre
Mr. Ferenc BÁNFI, Director of CEPOL
Mr. Patryk PAWLAK, Research Fellow at EUISS
Mr. Olivier LUYCKX, Head of Unit Crisis Management and Fight against terrorism, DG Home, European Commission
15:45 Discussion/Questions
16:15 Panel 2: The future of multilateral intelligence cooperation
Mag. Peter GRIDLING, Director Austrian Federal Agency for State Protection and Counter Terrorism
Mr. Gabriel FUENTES GONZÁLEZ, former General Superintendant for Information, Spain
Prof. Klaus SCHMIDT, former Director of Criminal Investigations, Germany
Prof. Dr. Jürgen STOCK, Vice President of the German Federal Criminal Police Office (tbc)
17:15 Discussion/Questions
17:45 Closing remarks by Ms. Ágnes HANKISS, MEP
18:00 End of Hearing
The goal of the Hearing on the Future of EU Intelligence and Internal Security is to provide a forum on this important set of topics through the involvement of high-level officials and professionals.
Time has come for stocktaking as the security challenges and the changing face of terrorism and organized crime and the relationship between them highlights the importance of stronger and redefined cooperation between the security services not only on bilateral but multilateral level under the umbrella of the EU. The questions on the forms of cooperation in intelligence require thought-provoking discussions especially now that the implementation of the EEAS is in progress. Are the exchanges of information efficient and sufficient enough? Are we connecting the dots? Are we doing everything to take preventive measures against threats affecting the European way of life? Do we see clearly and without doubts the border line between the internal dimension of external security and external dimension of internal security? What is the methodology of task sharing in practice? The shift from the "need to know" approach towards the "need to share" principle cannot exist without mutual trust. What are the key aspects of building trusted relationships between the symbolic authorities of national sovereignty in the European Union? What are the key areas where European cooperation is necessary? It would be an advantage for MS to mutually examine the models and strength of the other and could possibly learn from each other by integrating experiences bearing in mind the main objective of uniting of forces.
Can Europe afford having fragmented intelligence presence across the globe in a world of rising global threats and global competition? Is it realistic to start thinking about the foundations of a future common EU intelligence?
However, trust has another dimension, namely the democratic accountability of EU agencies dealing with home affairs. What lessons can be learnt from different existing MS practices? What can be implemented on EU level without putting the basic principles and functioning of the intelligence and security organizations at risk and increasing the safety and security of European citizens?
Draft Programme
14:30 Welcome Speeches
Ms. Ágnes HANKISS, MEP
Dr. Simon BUSUTTIL, MEP and EPP coordinator in the Committee on Civil
Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
14:45 Panel 1: EU intelligence and internal strategy
Mr. Ilkka SALMI, Director of EU Situation Centre
Mr. Ferenc BÁNFI, Director of CEPOL
Mr. Patryk PAWLAK, Research Fellow at EUISS
Mr. Olivier LUYCKX, Head of Unit Crisis Management and Fight against terrorism, DG Home, European Commission
15:45 Discussion/Questions
16:15 Panel 2: The future of multilateral intelligence cooperation
Mag. Peter GRIDLING, Director Austrian Federal Agency for State Protection and Counter Terrorism
Mr. Gabriel FUENTES GONZÁLEZ, former General Superintendant for Information, Spain
Prof. Klaus SCHMIDT, former Director of Criminal Investigations, Germany
Prof. Dr. Jürgen STOCK, Vice President of the German Federal Criminal Police Office (tbc)
17:15 Discussion/Questions
17:45 Closing remarks by Ms. Ágnes HANKISS, MEP
18:00 End of Hearing
(fidesz.hu)
A New Constitution for Hungary
19th April, 2011 11:31(Archiv)
Yesterday afternoon, the Hungarian
Parliament voted overwhelmingly to adopt a new constitution. In so
doing, Hungary became the last formerly communist country in the region
to throw off the specter of its recent past and adopt a fundamental law
of its own making. Article of Mr. Navracsics is deputy prime minister of
Hungary in the The Wall Street Journal.
Yesterday afternoon, the Hungarian Parliament voted overwhelmingly to
adopt a new constitution. In so doing, Hungary became the last formerly
communist country in the region to throw off the specter of its recent
past and adopt a fundamental law of its own making.
The new constitution has great symbolic and practical significance. It provides a foundation for the spiritual and intellectual renewal of Hungary. It reflects the past, present and future of the nation, and the fundamental values of the Hungarian people.
On a practical level, it will revise and update a legal framework that was formulated under the communists in 1949. Despite revisions since 1989, large parts of the original text remained until yesterday.
However, some have voiced concerns about the contents of the document and the process for enacting it. Most of these have been speculative and inaccurate. The end of the parliamentary process is an appropriate time to address these criticisms head-on and to dispel some of the prevailing myths.
First, it is wholly without foundation to claim, as some have done, that the process has been rushed. A new constitution has been a goal of successive Hungarian governments since 1989. Debate about it has been ongoing for the last 20 years.
A new constitution was a key pledge in this government's April 2010 election campaign. Formal consultation started soon after the elections, in June of last year. All of Hungary's opposition parties, and numerous expert and civil society groups, were invited to participate. The majority did so and provided invaluable input.
In addition, the government conducted an unprecedented public consultation exercise. Questionnaires were sent to eight million voters. More than one million responses were incorporated in the drafting process.
Some have also suggested that the new text erodes the checks and balances of Hungary's democratic institutions. It plainly does not. The constitution enshrines a classic separation of powers between Hungary's legislature, executive and judiciary. It upholds parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.
It also introduces some much-needed simplification. For instance, the number of ombudsmen will be reduced to one from four, and the overlap between the roles of the Executive Court and the Constitutional Court will be removed.
The Constitutional Court will become the court of last resort for citizens. It will no longer be able to rule on tax and budgetary issues, which will rightly remain the preserve of an elected parliament.
References in the new constitution to Christianity and the Holy Crown are not discriminatory, as some have alleged. They are simply an acknowledgment of the importance that Christianity has played in Hungarian history.
Such references are not unconventional in European constitutions and they place no limitation on people's freedom to practice other faiths. In fact, the new constitution will celebrate and protect the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of Hungary's citizens.
On the subject of rights, the constitution enshrines in full the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It therefore declares the inviolability of human dignity, the right to freedom, the security of the person and the protection of private property.
The constitution places special emphasis on the protection of children, mothers, young people, the elderly and people with disabilities. Like other European constitutions, it states that marriage is possible only between a man and a woman. However, same-sex couples are entitled to the same legal protections as heterosexual couples through registered partnerships.
The constitution also highlights the significance of the protection of families and human life, but it does not tie the concept of "family" to marriage. Hence, single-parent families enjoy identical rights in the area of family support.
So the constitution could not be clearer in its commitment to equal rights and opportunity.
On the vexed question of the right to life, the new constitution will not change the existing law: Hungary's governing parties have agreed that the constitution should not amend in any way the 1992 Act on the Protection of Fetal Life. By protecting the life of the fetus, the new constitution confirms the rulings of the Constitutional Court over the course of the last two decades.
Regarding ethnic diversity, the constitution declares that all nationalities living in Hungary are part of the Hungarian political community. The constitution protects their languages and culture, their right to use their own language and receive education in their mother tongue, their right to free establishment and their right to stand in local and national elections.
Concerning Hungarians living outside Hungary's borders, the new constitution states that Hungary takes responsibility for the fate of all Hungarians, both within and beyond its borders, just as the previous constitution did.
The constitution will not decide the question of voting rights for Hungarian citizens who do not reside in Hungary. This question will be addressed in the course of the upcoming parliamentary debate on the Act on Electoral Procedure. Politicians in the governing party have already made it clear that they wish to follow the widespread European practice on this issue—namely, to grant voting rights in some form to everyone with Hungarian citizenship.
Lastly, regarding public finances, the constitution will introduce strict rules that will prevent any future government from bankrupting the country again. Cutting state debt is one of the government's main goals. State debt is currently more than 80% of GDP. This places an enormous burden on the Hungarian economy.
For this reason, under the new constitution, no government will be able to adopt a budget that increases the level of state debt. By continuously bearing down on public debt, we aim to achieve a debt ratio of 50% by the end of this decade.
Taken together, the measures in Hungary's new constitution conform fully with European tradition. They strengthen Hungary's commitment to individual freedom, democracy and the rule of law. They preserve the traditions of Hungarian parliamentarianism and the institutions of state.
Most importantly, the constitution draws a line under the last 20 years, and locks in the values of the political transition of 1989-90.
Mr. Navracsics is deputy prime minister of Hungary.
The new constitution has great symbolic and practical significance. It provides a foundation for the spiritual and intellectual renewal of Hungary. It reflects the past, present and future of the nation, and the fundamental values of the Hungarian people.
On a practical level, it will revise and update a legal framework that was formulated under the communists in 1949. Despite revisions since 1989, large parts of the original text remained until yesterday.
However, some have voiced concerns about the contents of the document and the process for enacting it. Most of these have been speculative and inaccurate. The end of the parliamentary process is an appropriate time to address these criticisms head-on and to dispel some of the prevailing myths.
First, it is wholly without foundation to claim, as some have done, that the process has been rushed. A new constitution has been a goal of successive Hungarian governments since 1989. Debate about it has been ongoing for the last 20 years.
A new constitution was a key pledge in this government's April 2010 election campaign. Formal consultation started soon after the elections, in June of last year. All of Hungary's opposition parties, and numerous expert and civil society groups, were invited to participate. The majority did so and provided invaluable input.
In addition, the government conducted an unprecedented public consultation exercise. Questionnaires were sent to eight million voters. More than one million responses were incorporated in the drafting process.
Some have also suggested that the new text erodes the checks and balances of Hungary's democratic institutions. It plainly does not. The constitution enshrines a classic separation of powers between Hungary's legislature, executive and judiciary. It upholds parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.
It also introduces some much-needed simplification. For instance, the number of ombudsmen will be reduced to one from four, and the overlap between the roles of the Executive Court and the Constitutional Court will be removed.
The Constitutional Court will become the court of last resort for citizens. It will no longer be able to rule on tax and budgetary issues, which will rightly remain the preserve of an elected parliament.
References in the new constitution to Christianity and the Holy Crown are not discriminatory, as some have alleged. They are simply an acknowledgment of the importance that Christianity has played in Hungarian history.
Such references are not unconventional in European constitutions and they place no limitation on people's freedom to practice other faiths. In fact, the new constitution will celebrate and protect the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of Hungary's citizens.
On the subject of rights, the constitution enshrines in full the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It therefore declares the inviolability of human dignity, the right to freedom, the security of the person and the protection of private property.
The constitution places special emphasis on the protection of children, mothers, young people, the elderly and people with disabilities. Like other European constitutions, it states that marriage is possible only between a man and a woman. However, same-sex couples are entitled to the same legal protections as heterosexual couples through registered partnerships.
The constitution also highlights the significance of the protection of families and human life, but it does not tie the concept of "family" to marriage. Hence, single-parent families enjoy identical rights in the area of family support.
So the constitution could not be clearer in its commitment to equal rights and opportunity.
On the vexed question of the right to life, the new constitution will not change the existing law: Hungary's governing parties have agreed that the constitution should not amend in any way the 1992 Act on the Protection of Fetal Life. By protecting the life of the fetus, the new constitution confirms the rulings of the Constitutional Court over the course of the last two decades.
Regarding ethnic diversity, the constitution declares that all nationalities living in Hungary are part of the Hungarian political community. The constitution protects their languages and culture, their right to use their own language and receive education in their mother tongue, their right to free establishment and their right to stand in local and national elections.
Concerning Hungarians living outside Hungary's borders, the new constitution states that Hungary takes responsibility for the fate of all Hungarians, both within and beyond its borders, just as the previous constitution did.
The constitution will not decide the question of voting rights for Hungarian citizens who do not reside in Hungary. This question will be addressed in the course of the upcoming parliamentary debate on the Act on Electoral Procedure. Politicians in the governing party have already made it clear that they wish to follow the widespread European practice on this issue—namely, to grant voting rights in some form to everyone with Hungarian citizenship.
Lastly, regarding public finances, the constitution will introduce strict rules that will prevent any future government from bankrupting the country again. Cutting state debt is one of the government's main goals. State debt is currently more than 80% of GDP. This places an enormous burden on the Hungarian economy.
For this reason, under the new constitution, no government will be able to adopt a budget that increases the level of state debt. By continuously bearing down on public debt, we aim to achieve a debt ratio of 50% by the end of this decade.
Taken together, the measures in Hungary's new constitution conform fully with European tradition. They strengthen Hungary's commitment to individual freedom, democracy and the rule of law. They preserve the traditions of Hungarian parliamentarianism and the institutions of state.
Most importantly, the constitution draws a line under the last 20 years, and locks in the values of the political transition of 1989-90.
Mr. Navracsics is deputy prime minister of Hungary.
(online.wsj.com)
What Hungary can offer Europe and the world
Created: 2nd June, 2011 10:18 (Archiv)
Article of Mr. Navracsics is deputy prime minister of Hungary in The Daily Telegraph.
Despite all the attention that has been given to European debt issues
in recent weeks, two other milestones in EU affairs will be marked this
month. Hungary's Fidesz government turns one year old; and Hungary will
complete its six-month stint in the Presidency of the EU.
It has been an exhilarating, at times torrid, year. It has also been a year in which Hungary has shown its willingness to play a leadership role at the heart of Europe, and to extend the dream of Europe to her neighbours. It has been an honor to lead Europe during a tumultuous time in European and world affairs. When it started, nobody imagined we would witness the events that have unfolded in North Africa.
These events have a special poignancy for Hungarians. Twenty years ago we too found the courage to throw off an oppressive tyranny and stake a claim for our freedom and self-determination. It has been a source of particular pride that we, together with colleagues from Central Europe, have been able to share our experiences with the new democrats of North Africa and offer advice on difficult transition issues.
There is still much we want to achieve in the remaining days of our Presidency. In particular, we will push as hard as we can to ensure that Croatia's accession talks are concluded, giving our close neighbour a vision for joining the EU.
The accession of the Balkan countries has long been a priority for Hungary. The historic tragedy of the region has cast a shadow over of our own national story. The arrest of Ratko Mladic clears a path for Serbia to join and we will press our more recalcitrant EU partners to extend the promise of a more secure and prosperous future to all the people of the western Balkans.
They are policies and priorities that reflect central European realities as much as western European ones; and they are policies that seek to extend the promise of Europe to those at her frontiers in 2011. Just as 20 years ago Hungary dreamt of the security and prosperity that Europe offers, so do our neighbours today. Hungary's goal is to become central Europe's brightest beacon for economic and political advancement.
Another key goal is finalising the European Framework for Roma strategies. Hungarian policy makers have led this work form the start, reflecting our determination to improve the prospects of Roma people and ensure their reintegration into mainstream European life. We have succeeded in convincing our European partners that the Roma communities' social inclusion is crucial to the EU's future.
Our six months at Europe's helm have not been without glitches. We regret the furor over our new media law, which overshadowed the initial stages of our Presidency. And we were happy to enact the technical changes proposed by the European Commission to bring the Act into line with EU law.
Equally, our new Constitution caused concern in some quarters. But we remain unrepentant about its contents and the democratic process for enacting it. Hungary was the only post-communist country in the region that had not reformed its fundamental law following the democratic transition. We now have a new constitution that enshrines both the spirit of the nation and European values in full.
The domestic context to these initiatives is important. In 2010, the Hungarian people gave Fidesz an unprecedented mandate to reform the country following eight years of corruption under the socialists. We have wasted no time and for many the pace of change has been unsettling. But with an economy on the brink of collapse, delay was not an option.
Crucially, we have retaken control of our economy. We are now less beholden to the international financial community. Personal and corporate taxes have come down. Employment is rising and people are returning to the formal economy. After years of catastrophic mismanagement, the Hungarian economy is out of A&E and back on a growth track.
Many commentators expressed concern about our unorthodox approach to fiscal consolidation. But Hungary is deliberately taking a different approach to resolving the economic challenges it faces together with most other nations. We have resisted the wholesale spending cuts and tax rises implemented by others across Europe. Our approach is to encourage growth through job creation and tax reform. It is clear to us those austerity policies not only hinder economic growth but cause social harm.
Jobs are absolutely key to the programme. The New Széchenyi Plan, launched in January 2011, will seek to create 300,000 new private sector jobs by 2014, rising to one million by 2020. We have set out to completely change the country's attitude to work and to bring people back into the productive economy. This goal has been undermined in recent years by punitive taxes, perverse incentives in a corrupted welfare system and a lack of job creation. Without major structural changes, there will be insufficient growth.
We expect most employment opportunities to come from small and medium-sized enterprises. We are introducing a number of incentives to support their development, including easier access to more capital. Our goal is that SMEs will become the engine of Hungary's export-led recovery.
This is not to say that we are ignoring the need to cut costs in parallel. We are acting on our election pledge to tackle structural inefficiency and waste. Our structural changes were set out in the Széll Kálmán Plan in March 2011. The goal is to reduce government debt to a level below 70 per cent of GDP by the end of the government's term and eventually to 50 per cent of GDP, a concept also enshrined in our new constitution.
Our unorthodox approach is beginning to bear fruit. The economy has grown for six consecutive quarters. We have already completed our 2011 sovereign debt issuance at increasingly attractive prices. The Hungarian forint is one of the world's strongest-performing currencies this year, and the cost of insuring against a Hungarian default has plummeted to levels well below Spain.
We have made a good start but there is no room for complacency. There is a lot to do and my Government will not let up the pace of reform. The Government has set out an ambitious legislative programme. Starting in the autumn, Parliament will debate among other things Hungary's new local government structure, the new electoral law that will reduce the number of MPs from 386 to 200, and a reformed judicial system.
The Government promised no easy solution to the country's difficulties: hard work and sacrifice will both be required to make the country the most competitive nation in an enlarged, more secure and prosperous Central and South Eastern European region, which is our ultimate goal.
Tibor Navracsics is the Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary
It has been an exhilarating, at times torrid, year. It has also been a year in which Hungary has shown its willingness to play a leadership role at the heart of Europe, and to extend the dream of Europe to her neighbours. It has been an honor to lead Europe during a tumultuous time in European and world affairs. When it started, nobody imagined we would witness the events that have unfolded in North Africa.
These events have a special poignancy for Hungarians. Twenty years ago we too found the courage to throw off an oppressive tyranny and stake a claim for our freedom and self-determination. It has been a source of particular pride that we, together with colleagues from Central Europe, have been able to share our experiences with the new democrats of North Africa and offer advice on difficult transition issues.
There is still much we want to achieve in the remaining days of our Presidency. In particular, we will push as hard as we can to ensure that Croatia's accession talks are concluded, giving our close neighbour a vision for joining the EU.
The accession of the Balkan countries has long been a priority for Hungary. The historic tragedy of the region has cast a shadow over of our own national story. The arrest of Ratko Mladic clears a path for Serbia to join and we will press our more recalcitrant EU partners to extend the promise of a more secure and prosperous future to all the people of the western Balkans.
They are policies and priorities that reflect central European realities as much as western European ones; and they are policies that seek to extend the promise of Europe to those at her frontiers in 2011. Just as 20 years ago Hungary dreamt of the security and prosperity that Europe offers, so do our neighbours today. Hungary's goal is to become central Europe's brightest beacon for economic and political advancement.
Another key goal is finalising the European Framework for Roma strategies. Hungarian policy makers have led this work form the start, reflecting our determination to improve the prospects of Roma people and ensure their reintegration into mainstream European life. We have succeeded in convincing our European partners that the Roma communities' social inclusion is crucial to the EU's future.
Our six months at Europe's helm have not been without glitches. We regret the furor over our new media law, which overshadowed the initial stages of our Presidency. And we were happy to enact the technical changes proposed by the European Commission to bring the Act into line with EU law.
Equally, our new Constitution caused concern in some quarters. But we remain unrepentant about its contents and the democratic process for enacting it. Hungary was the only post-communist country in the region that had not reformed its fundamental law following the democratic transition. We now have a new constitution that enshrines both the spirit of the nation and European values in full.
The domestic context to these initiatives is important. In 2010, the Hungarian people gave Fidesz an unprecedented mandate to reform the country following eight years of corruption under the socialists. We have wasted no time and for many the pace of change has been unsettling. But with an economy on the brink of collapse, delay was not an option.
Crucially, we have retaken control of our economy. We are now less beholden to the international financial community. Personal and corporate taxes have come down. Employment is rising and people are returning to the formal economy. After years of catastrophic mismanagement, the Hungarian economy is out of A&E and back on a growth track.
Many commentators expressed concern about our unorthodox approach to fiscal consolidation. But Hungary is deliberately taking a different approach to resolving the economic challenges it faces together with most other nations. We have resisted the wholesale spending cuts and tax rises implemented by others across Europe. Our approach is to encourage growth through job creation and tax reform. It is clear to us those austerity policies not only hinder economic growth but cause social harm.
Jobs are absolutely key to the programme. The New Széchenyi Plan, launched in January 2011, will seek to create 300,000 new private sector jobs by 2014, rising to one million by 2020. We have set out to completely change the country's attitude to work and to bring people back into the productive economy. This goal has been undermined in recent years by punitive taxes, perverse incentives in a corrupted welfare system and a lack of job creation. Without major structural changes, there will be insufficient growth.
We expect most employment opportunities to come from small and medium-sized enterprises. We are introducing a number of incentives to support their development, including easier access to more capital. Our goal is that SMEs will become the engine of Hungary's export-led recovery.
This is not to say that we are ignoring the need to cut costs in parallel. We are acting on our election pledge to tackle structural inefficiency and waste. Our structural changes were set out in the Széll Kálmán Plan in March 2011. The goal is to reduce government debt to a level below 70 per cent of GDP by the end of the government's term and eventually to 50 per cent of GDP, a concept also enshrined in our new constitution.
Our unorthodox approach is beginning to bear fruit. The economy has grown for six consecutive quarters. We have already completed our 2011 sovereign debt issuance at increasingly attractive prices. The Hungarian forint is one of the world's strongest-performing currencies this year, and the cost of insuring against a Hungarian default has plummeted to levels well below Spain.
We have made a good start but there is no room for complacency. There is a lot to do and my Government will not let up the pace of reform. The Government has set out an ambitious legislative programme. Starting in the autumn, Parliament will debate among other things Hungary's new local government structure, the new electoral law that will reduce the number of MPs from 386 to 200, and a reformed judicial system.
The Government promised no easy solution to the country's difficulties: hard work and sacrifice will both be required to make the country the most competitive nation in an enlarged, more secure and prosperous Central and South Eastern European region, which is our ultimate goal.
Tibor Navracsics is the Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary
(telegraph.co.uk)
Fidesz, govt stand up for Hungary, says Orban
Archiv: 2011.juli. 4.The co-ruling Fidesz party and the government has always stood up for Hungary and will continue to do so under any circumstances, party leader and Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Sunday.
Orban told a Fidesz
congress following his reelection as party chairman that he had stood up
for Hungary "also against the international and Hungarian left-wing."
"The politics pursued by the Hungarian and international Socialists is
simple: democracy only exists if they are on government," Orban said.
The Fidesz government has stood up for the country when it was subjected
to ignoble attacks in Europe, and made it clear that nobody has the
right to interfere or lecture Hungary, he added. "We have stood up for
the people when we introduced bank and crisis taxes instead of austerity
measures (…), when we calmly and peacefully bid farewell to the IMF,"
Orban said.
The government demonstrated its determination to stand up for the people when protesting law enforcement workers were told that "nobody, even they cannot demand unjustified advantages and privileges," he added. "We stood up and will continue to stand up to ensure that words and deeds have consequences and we therefore insist on calling to account those responsible for damage," Orban said.
The party is ready to fight its greatest battle ever, to face the mistakes of the past and those who still defend them, Orban said. "Some people have profiteered while others lost the fruit of their work, some have made a fortune from driving the country into debts up to its neck," Orban said. "Some people want to divert Hungary from the path of the future to the Greek path, but Fidesz is determined to go along the path of the future," he added.
In his assessment of Hungary's European Union presidency, Orban said the work has been done and attacks have been rebutted. "We have given out some smacks and slaps to boisterous arguers in the European Parliament," he added. The government will overcome the country's indebtedness and in order to do so, all capable people will be summoned back to work, Orban said. Instead of benefits, they will be given work, he added.
The government will eliminate privileges and unjustified advantages and make sure that "only those will succeed who deserve it", Orban said.
The government demonstrated its determination to stand up for the people when protesting law enforcement workers were told that "nobody, even they cannot demand unjustified advantages and privileges," he added. "We stood up and will continue to stand up to ensure that words and deeds have consequences and we therefore insist on calling to account those responsible for damage," Orban said.
The party is ready to fight its greatest battle ever, to face the mistakes of the past and those who still defend them, Orban said. "Some people have profiteered while others lost the fruit of their work, some have made a fortune from driving the country into debts up to its neck," Orban said. "Some people want to divert Hungary from the path of the future to the Greek path, but Fidesz is determined to go along the path of the future," he added.
In his assessment of Hungary's European Union presidency, Orban said the work has been done and attacks have been rebutted. "We have given out some smacks and slaps to boisterous arguers in the European Parliament," he added. The government will overcome the country's indebtedness and in order to do so, all capable people will be summoned back to work, Orban said. Instead of benefits, they will be given work, he added.
The government will eliminate privileges and unjustified advantages and make sure that "only those will succeed who deserve it", Orban said.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
Hungary has woken up
Hungary has woken up,
Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in parliament on Monday, presenting
the results of the government's social consultation, a survey sent to
every household in the country.
Orban said that the 1.4
million questionnaires completed and sent back to the government
revealed that Hungarians wanted to build their future through labour,
rather than expecting "beers for free" or undeserved benefits.
Hungarians have woken from "a long slumber of the tempting illusion of welfare without work, which then ended up in the nightmare of a total collapse," the prime minister said. The government's survey involved asking people their opinion about pensions, job creation, and education. Talking about the survey results in detail, Orban said that the question about whether to re-introduce foreign currency-based loans was one that had divided respondents the most.
According to the prime minister, 91 percent of all respondents agreed with the introduction of protective labour measures for employees in their last years before retirement, and that the state should provide jobs rather than benefits for the unemployed. Eighty-nine percent said that the education system should be tailored to match the requirements of the labour market. Eighty percent of the respondents said that people raising children should have higher pensions, especially those that have also worked the required number of years besides being a parent, Orban said. Most respondents also supported the idea that benefits should be a compound of a cash payment and basic necessities, he added.
Referring to another question, Orban said that 86 percent of the respondents supported putting controls over the profits of public utility providers, while 94 percent would prevent pharmaceutical companies from "forcing medicines onto the people at exorbitant prices".
Two-thirds of respondents support the proposal that the state should come to the assistance of troubled borrowers, Orban said.
Hungarians have woken from "a long slumber of the tempting illusion of welfare without work, which then ended up in the nightmare of a total collapse," the prime minister said. The government's survey involved asking people their opinion about pensions, job creation, and education. Talking about the survey results in detail, Orban said that the question about whether to re-introduce foreign currency-based loans was one that had divided respondents the most.
According to the prime minister, 91 percent of all respondents agreed with the introduction of protective labour measures for employees in their last years before retirement, and that the state should provide jobs rather than benefits for the unemployed. Eighty-nine percent said that the education system should be tailored to match the requirements of the labour market. Eighty percent of the respondents said that people raising children should have higher pensions, especially those that have also worked the required number of years besides being a parent, Orban said. Most respondents also supported the idea that benefits should be a compound of a cash payment and basic necessities, he added.
Referring to another question, Orban said that 86 percent of the respondents supported putting controls over the profits of public utility providers, while 94 percent would prevent pharmaceutical companies from "forcing medicines onto the people at exorbitant prices".
Two-thirds of respondents support the proposal that the state should come to the assistance of troubled borrowers, Orban said.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
Barroso, Daul praise Hungary EU presidency
Hungary has concluded
its rotating European Union presidency with good results, European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European People's Party
group leader Joseph Daul said in the European Parliament on Tuesday.
Among the presidency's
achievements, Barroso mentioned launching the first European economic
semester, concluding accession talks with Croatia, providing assistance
to the democratic process in northern African countries, and adopting
the European Roma strategy. Daul thanked the Hungarian presidency for
its efforts to promote the EU's economic governance.
In an assessment of the achievements of the Hungarian presidency which ended on June 30, Orban said that the EU could not appear as a strong community until a solution for the Greek crisis was found.
In an assessment of the achievements of the Hungarian presidency which ended on June 30, Orban said that the EU could not appear as a strong community until a solution for the Greek crisis was found.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
EU stronger than at start of Hungarian presidency
Europe is currently
stronger than six months ago at the start of Hungary's EU presidency but
news on the eurozone and the Greek crisis may make it seem less obvious
for voters, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told a plenary meeting in the
European Parliament on Tuesday.
In his assessment of the
achievements of the Hungarian presidency which ended on June 30, Orban
said the EU could not appear as a strong community until a solution for
the Greek crisis was found. Hungary's EU presidency has successfully
achieved its targets and contributed to strengthening the EU, Orban
said. During the presidency, the EU quickly and efficiently reacted to
such challenges as the euro-zone crisis, the Japanese nuclear disaster
or developments in Northern Africa, he added.
Europe is now in possession of the means to prevent future crises. A six-piece legislation on economic governance is almost complete, Orban said. Commenting on the framework strategy for Roma inclusion, Orban said the Roma community represents extra resources, not only challenges. Through them, millions of European citizens could be included in the labour market, he added. Commenting on the successful completion of accession talks with Croatia, he said he had submitted a memorandum to President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek explaining that the EU should continue expansion in the Western Balkans and more efforts are needed to help other countries in the region to join.
The European Parliament on Tuesday adopted a resolution initiated by the Socialist, liberal and green groups on Hungary's new constitution reflecting concerns raised by the Council of Europe's Venice Commission. The resolution criticises the way the constitution was approved and several of its components. Orban said before the vote that regardless of what resolution is approved, "this would not influence the Hungarian MP's work at all." The constitution is under European protection and every nation has a right to have its own basic law, he added. Hungary's new constitution is a modern European supreme law which focuses on life, family, the nation, and human dignity, and "we are therefore proud of it," Orban said.
Europe is now in possession of the means to prevent future crises. A six-piece legislation on economic governance is almost complete, Orban said. Commenting on the framework strategy for Roma inclusion, Orban said the Roma community represents extra resources, not only challenges. Through them, millions of European citizens could be included in the labour market, he added. Commenting on the successful completion of accession talks with Croatia, he said he had submitted a memorandum to President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek explaining that the EU should continue expansion in the Western Balkans and more efforts are needed to help other countries in the region to join.
The European Parliament on Tuesday adopted a resolution initiated by the Socialist, liberal and green groups on Hungary's new constitution reflecting concerns raised by the Council of Europe's Venice Commission. The resolution criticises the way the constitution was approved and several of its components. Orban said before the vote that regardless of what resolution is approved, "this would not influence the Hungarian MP's work at all." The constitution is under European protection and every nation has a right to have its own basic law, he added. Hungary's new constitution is a modern European supreme law which focuses on life, family, the nation, and human dignity, and "we are therefore proud of it," Orban said.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
Fidesz wants 1-round election, ballot for Hungarian citizens abroad
The ruling Fidesz party will submit a bill for a single-round general
election, with each voter residing in Hungary casting two ballots -- one
for a candidate in their individual constituency and another one for a
national party list. Hungarian citizens abroad, including Hungarians
living in neighbouring countries, will be enfranchised, the document
seen by MTI on Thursday said.
Citizens who do not reside in Hungary will cast a
single vote for a national party list by sending their vote through the
post. The first-past-the-post (individual constituency) and proportional
(party lists) systems will be combined to ensure the least number of
votes are lost. Surplus votes will be added to the national party list.
The number of individual constituencies is set to drop to 90-110 from
176. When it comes to redrawing constituency borders, the opinions of
the Constitutional Court and the Council of Europe's Venice Commission
will be taken into consideration. Changes in the number of voters in a
ward will be capped at 10-15 percent when the boundaries are redrawn.
Instead of the requirement to collect 750 nomination slips per
constituency in order for qualify, a party will have to gather 1,500 in a
period of 21 days. The threshold for a parliamentary mandate will stay
at 5 percent for a single list, rising to 10 percent for a joint list
and 15 percent for a multiparty list. The current county lists (the 19
counties plus Budapest) will be scrapped, and seats up for grabs will be
transferred to the national lists. A party will have to put up
candidates in at least nine counties, in the capital and in altogether
27 individual constituencies in order to qualify, according to the
draft. A novel concept in the draft is introducing the right to vote for
national minorities, with citizens on a national-minority register
voting for their lists. Each minority self-government can establish a
register, and 1,500 nomination slips from members of the minority whose
name appears on the register will be needed in order to run.
Fidesz group leader Janos Lazar has sent the document to Laszlo
Salamon, head of the subcommittee in charge of the electoral reform
whose remit includes downsizing of Parliament. The final number of seats
has yet to be finalised, but the unicameral parliament is expected to
have around 200 lawmakers as opposed to 386 currently.
Hungary currently operates a two-round election system dating back to 1989.
Hungary currently operates a two-round election system dating back to 1989.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
Respect for action lost in Europe, says PM Orban
Respect for action, which has made Europe and the West a great and
victorious civilisation, has been lost, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor
Orban told a conference of Christian intellectuals in Budapest on
Friday.
The prime minister said that the enduring global
economic crisis would not be surmounted using the current range economic
policy tools because today's crisis is not just economic, financial and
ecological but also moral. The latter is likey to be at the root of all
the other crises, he added. "Christian culture is a culture of action,
which has provided a solid basis for European civilisation. Respect for
action and the working man, however, has disappeared from this
civilisation," he said. This is what led to the European countries
"piling up horrific debts", to the spread of nihilism, cynicism,
deviancy and extremities, Orban said, stressing the need to restore
respect for work.
"For the time being, the ship
of Hungary is rolling in the storm of a long-lasting crisis that seems
to be endless, together with the ships of all western countries," Orban
said. "Not even the biggest nations can take for granted avoidance of an
iceberg or reef. What is more, the sailors are not on the best terms
either." He said the Hungarian government was committed to restoring
respect for work. This is why it is focusing on job creation and raising
the employment rate. "The Hungarian nation will be successful in the
21st century if it has trust in action and work, and the strong,
responsible and cohesive community of people." "We have embarked on this
road and will not let anyone push back Hungary onto the 'Greek path'".
He said Hungary's objective of setting itself aside from the European
crisis zone in 2012 was a realistic one.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
Govt's major challenge
One of the most important jobs
facing the government is to find a solution to operating an effective
financing system for small and medium-sized enterprises in a way that
either replaces or partially replaces bank lending, Prime Minister
Viktor Orban told a commercial television station.
Speaking to news channel Hir TV from Brussels late on Sunday, Orban
said the moment had come for European politicians to put their banks in
order because the current situation was unfeasible. He added that it was
"impossible" that three years after the big crisis of 2008 -- when
European governments gave lots of money to the banks -- the banks were
again "knocking on the door". He said that money had been put to
improper use and taxpayers were again bailing them out. "This won't do,"
he said.
Orban said that compared to the rest of Europe, Hungary was going through a different process: here banks must pay a tax and foreign banks were now giving back to Hungary the money which they had previously taken out. In connection with the government's decision to allow full repayments of forex mortgages, he said foreign exchange obligations otherwise could not be met. He insisted that foreign banks in Hungary had been withdrawing money from the country for a long time, while in the past year they had not been granting loans to small and medium-sized companies. "One of the government's biggest challenges is to find a solution to operating an effective financing system for small and medium-sized enterprises in a way that either replaces or partially replaces bank lending," he said, adding that other European leaders had been saying the same thing on the margins of the EU summit.
Orban said that compared to the rest of Europe, Hungary was going through a different process: here banks must pay a tax and foreign banks were now giving back to Hungary the money which they had previously taken out. In connection with the government's decision to allow full repayments of forex mortgages, he said foreign exchange obligations otherwise could not be met. He insisted that foreign banks in Hungary had been withdrawing money from the country for a long time, while in the past year they had not been granting loans to small and medium-sized companies. "One of the government's biggest challenges is to find a solution to operating an effective financing system for small and medium-sized enterprises in a way that either replaces or partially replaces bank lending," he said, adding that other European leaders had been saying the same thing on the margins of the EU summit.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
New National University of Public Service
The fact that Hungary has
established a new university in the midst of hardships it faces abroad
and at home indicates that the country does have a future and will have
the strength to overcome difficulties, the prime minister said at the
founding ceremony of a new public service university in Parliament on
Wednesday.
"We want to train people who will dedicate their life to serving their
country and the public," Viktor Orban said. He said that setting up a
new university indicated that the country would have the strength and
the knowledge to become successful. "We will not allow anyone to steer
us away from pursuing our own goals in the future," Orban said.
The ceremony was attended by the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Jozsef Palinkas, the head of the new supreme court Curia, Peter Darak and the new university's president, Andras Patyi. The new university has been established by integrating the Zrinyi Miklos National Defence University, police academy RTF and the public administration studies department of the Budapest Corvinus University.
The ceremony was attended by the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Jozsef Palinkas, the head of the new supreme court Curia, Peter Darak and the new university's president, Andras Patyi. The new university has been established by integrating the Zrinyi Miklos National Defence University, police academy RTF and the public administration studies department of the Budapest Corvinus University.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
PM Orban vows to stick to flat income tax
Hungary must maintain a flat income tax system in order to protect its
middle classes, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in his address to the
nation on Tuesday.
Orban dismissed the idea that wealthy people paid more tax with a
higher tax rate, insisting this was not the "Hungarian reality". He said
the rich always found a way of avoiding paying their taxes and the
middle class ended up paying. He said for this reason the middle class
must be protected by a "proportionate, single-rate" system. The new
flat-tax would only be fully implemented in 2013, when lower earners,
too, would be better off, he said.
Orban also said Hungary would have lost its economic sovereignty -- and it would be in the same situation as Greece -- but for the government's efforts to curb the public debt. He said the government had managed to rein in the public debt, even if the forint's volatility blurred the picture. Hungary could not feel fully independent as long as the public debt was high, he added.
The Szell Kalman economic plan has been 83 percent met, Orban said, adding that due to the government's pact with the banking association more than 160,000 people had been rescued from the debt trap, while burdens for many others had been reduced.
Orban said the year 2011 had been "overwhelming" for Europe and had exceeded all expectations. Dangers such as the bankruptcy of members of the euro zone, the demise of the single currency and the union itself falling apart were no longer in the realm of fiction, and an economic recession was a realistic danger, he said.
Orban also said Hungary would have lost its economic sovereignty -- and it would be in the same situation as Greece -- but for the government's efforts to curb the public debt. He said the government had managed to rein in the public debt, even if the forint's volatility blurred the picture. Hungary could not feel fully independent as long as the public debt was high, he added.
The Szell Kalman economic plan has been 83 percent met, Orban said, adding that due to the government's pact with the banking association more than 160,000 people had been rescued from the debt trap, while burdens for many others had been reduced.
Orban said the year 2011 had been "overwhelming" for Europe and had exceeded all expectations. Dangers such as the bankruptcy of members of the euro zone, the demise of the single currency and the union itself falling apart were no longer in the realm of fiction, and an economic recession was a realistic danger, he said.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
Speech by Viktor Orbán at the 21st EPP Congress
Speech by Viktor Orbán at the 21st EPP Congress (17-18 October 2012 / Bucharest, Romania)
President Martens, distinguished Guests, dear Delegates.
I am a prime minster of a country which two years ago was in a worse
shape then Greece at that time. But now what I can report to you is that
we succeeded to renew Hungary and to put it on the right track. We have
done our homework building up a workfare society. So, as a soldier from
the frontline, I could be brave enough to use my five minutes to draw
some conclusions of the crisis we are experiencing now.
The first conclusion to draw, my friends, is that crisis can not be managed by the same policies and tools which have caused the crisis itself. What we need is a courage to look for and implement new and innovative – or if you wish so – unorthodox economic policies. The second conclusion to draw my friends is that it is not enough to make decisions in order just to handle the crisis, rather we have to prepare our nations and our community for the future since neither Europe nor the World will be the same as it used to be before the crisis. The third conclusion is that we can not live beyond our limits. It is easy to say, but difficult to do. Reforms, even structural reforms are not enough. We need more. We need renewal and full-fledged reorganization of our societies. Our task is somewhat difficult: we have to improve competitiveness, decrease sovereign debt and maintain social stability in the meantime; therefore the crisis can not be handled by the solutions offered by technocratic management. What we need here is: political management and leadership. As fourth conclusion – of course – we need more Europe. At the same time it is obvious that different countries need different policies.
The first conclusion to draw, my friends, is that crisis can not be managed by the same policies and tools which have caused the crisis itself. What we need is a courage to look for and implement new and innovative – or if you wish so – unorthodox economic policies. The second conclusion to draw my friends is that it is not enough to make decisions in order just to handle the crisis, rather we have to prepare our nations and our community for the future since neither Europe nor the World will be the same as it used to be before the crisis. The third conclusion is that we can not live beyond our limits. It is easy to say, but difficult to do. Reforms, even structural reforms are not enough. We need more. We need renewal and full-fledged reorganization of our societies. Our task is somewhat difficult: we have to improve competitiveness, decrease sovereign debt and maintain social stability in the meantime; therefore the crisis can not be handled by the solutions offered by technocratic management. What we need here is: political management and leadership. As fourth conclusion – of course – we need more Europe. At the same time it is obvious that different countries need different policies.
So, more Europe, but every single country should be allowed to shape
its own policy mix, and not just to allow, but to support each other. It
is obvious, that the economic success of our competitors also stands
from the spiritual driving force. This means, that rationality itself is
not enough. We need spiritual background, inspiration in Europe as
well. Let’s put it this way: common sense and “sursum corda” is
necessary at the same time. We, Christian democrats should not forget
about this. Once we have to answer the question why the populist
extremist forces are the ones to become stronger during the crisis? Why
do not we benefit from it? Why do extremist forces appear to be able to
solve the people’s problem, and why the desperate hopeless crisis-hit
people don’t believe the same about us?
Dear Friends,
This is exactly the reason why we must not be elitists, bureaucrats and technocrats. We have to be a true people’s party. We have to renew our democratic systems that for this hopeless, crisis-hit people democracy would equal the hope for the better future.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are heading towards historic changes. We have to remind ourselves, that opponents, the socialists have always failed on thresholds of historic changes and try to roll back the wheel of history. Had it been up to them, even today the Soviet Union would still exist, Germany would be still split, and there would be no united Europe. We have to make clear that only EPP has been so far able to successfully overcome historic challenges. And this is the case today as well. Only: EPP.
Thank you for your attention.
Text: orbanviktor.hu, Photographer: Barna Burger
Dear Friends,
This is exactly the reason why we must not be elitists, bureaucrats and technocrats. We have to be a true people’s party. We have to renew our democratic systems that for this hopeless, crisis-hit people democracy would equal the hope for the better future.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are heading towards historic changes. We have to remind ourselves, that opponents, the socialists have always failed on thresholds of historic changes and try to roll back the wheel of history. Had it been up to them, even today the Soviet Union would still exist, Germany would be still split, and there would be no united Europe. We have to make clear that only EPP has been so far able to successfully overcome historic challenges. And this is the case today as well. Only: EPP.
Thank you for your attention.
Text: orbanviktor.hu, Photographer: Barna Burger
(orbanviktor.hu)
Lift excessive deficit procedure, Orban urges EC
Hungary's
economic achievements are signs of success and the European Commission
should therefore lift an excessive deficit procedure in force ever since
the country's European Union accession in 2004, Prime Minister Viktor
Orban said on Wednesday.
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Orban said in a lecture at Bruegel Institute think-tank in Brussels
that Europe's share in the world economy was decreasing and the EU's
crisis was basically one of competitiveness. An economic change of
system is needed, with a work-based society replacing the welfare
society, Orban said.
(MTI-fidesz.hu)
Reaction to the Statement by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
The rule of law is fully operational in Hungary, and
accordingly, the National Assembly is conforming to the decision of the
Constitutional Court by adopting the proposal to the Fundamental Law
which is currently before Parliament. Both the Hungarian Government
and the Hungarian Parliament uphold the responsibilities that go with
membership of the European Union and the Council of Europe. It is our
firm belief that the proposal that is currently before parliament
conforms fully to these responsibilities. We feel it is natural
that the Council of Europe should monitor the constitutional
amendments of its member states, but be feel it is
unacceptable that prior to the adoption of the amendment the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe should announce a
preliminary judgement which is clearly based un misunderstandings.
We find this behaviour
especially strange because two writers of official Council of Europe reports on Hungary were on an official visit to Hungary at the end of February, at which time they received detailed information from the Speaker of Parliament and the heads of the various parliamentary groups regarding the reasons for the constitutional amendment. The statement of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe which claims that "the Government of Hungary wishes to reintroduce those temporary provisions that the Constitutional Court has annulled" is an obvious misunderstanding. In fact, the truth is that the Constitutional Court annulled the temporary provisions for purely formal reasons, and expressly gave the National Assembly the task of including all constitutional regulations within the Constitution, meaning that the National Assembly in fact has an obligation to incorporate the temporary provisions into the Fundamental Law.
Accordingly, the current amendment is not only not contrary to the decision of the Constitutional Court, but in fact serves princely the implementation of that decision. The temporary provisions have formed part of Hungarian legislation for over a year, and have withstood the scrutiny of several European bodies during that time. It is our view that the reduction of the high pensions of communist leaders, the condemnation of dictatorships or the protection of human dignity are clearly in harmony with Europe's common
constitutional traditions, and we therefore view all substantive criticism and that of procedure to be unfounded.
Hungary is a democratic state in which the branches of administrative power function independently, and in which constitutional power lies only in the hands of the National Assembly. While continuing to insist on equal standards and fair treatment, the government parties and the Government of Hungary remain open to clearing up possible misunderstandings with any European body and to dispel unfounded concerns.
Antal Rogán, Leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group and Gergely Gulyás, Member of Parliament
especially strange because two writers of official Council of Europe reports on Hungary were on an official visit to Hungary at the end of February, at which time they received detailed information from the Speaker of Parliament and the heads of the various parliamentary groups regarding the reasons for the constitutional amendment. The statement of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe which claims that "the Government of Hungary wishes to reintroduce those temporary provisions that the Constitutional Court has annulled" is an obvious misunderstanding. In fact, the truth is that the Constitutional Court annulled the temporary provisions for purely formal reasons, and expressly gave the National Assembly the task of including all constitutional regulations within the Constitution, meaning that the National Assembly in fact has an obligation to incorporate the temporary provisions into the Fundamental Law.
Accordingly, the current amendment is not only not contrary to the decision of the Constitutional Court, but in fact serves princely the implementation of that decision. The temporary provisions have formed part of Hungarian legislation for over a year, and have withstood the scrutiny of several European bodies during that time. It is our view that the reduction of the high pensions of communist leaders, the condemnation of dictatorships or the protection of human dignity are clearly in harmony with Europe's common
constitutional traditions, and we therefore view all substantive criticism and that of procedure to be unfounded.
Hungary is a democratic state in which the branches of administrative power function independently, and in which constitutional power lies only in the hands of the National Assembly. While continuing to insist on equal standards and fair treatment, the government parties and the Government of Hungary remain open to clearing up possible misunderstandings with any European body and to dispel unfounded concerns.
Antal Rogán, Leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group and Gergely Gulyás, Member of Parliament
(Fidesz)
European Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Roma Holocaust
Today, on 2 August, victims of the
Roma Holocaust are being remembered world-wide. MEP Lívia Járóka has
initiated a written declaration in the European Parliament to officially
declare 2 August as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of the
Roma Holocaust.
During the Second World War, hundreds of thousands of Roma died a
violent death, and many of them were murdered in extermination camps. On
a single day, on 2 August 1944, more than four thousand Roma were
killed in the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, so - following the 1972
proposal of the Gypsy World Federation - Roma victims are being
remembered on this day throughout the world.
Last year - in connection with the Memorial Day - MEP Lívia Járóka has initiated a written declaration in the European Parliament, to officially declare 2 August as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Roma Holocaust. This day reminds us of our common obligation to reject hatred, to learn and explore the past and to preserve the memory of the victims – Járóka said. According to the MEP, the honest and scientific processing of Roma history may strengthen the solidarity among European nations and may also contribute to the social inclusion of Roma, one of the barriers of which is the lack of knowledge concerning Roma and their history.
Járóka reminded that the European Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies is so far the largest initiative on the EU-level to address the social exclusion of Roma and with proper political will and financial resources it may deliver tangible results until the end of this decade.
Last year - in connection with the Memorial Day - MEP Lívia Járóka has initiated a written declaration in the European Parliament, to officially declare 2 August as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Roma Holocaust. This day reminds us of our common obligation to reject hatred, to learn and explore the past and to preserve the memory of the victims – Járóka said. According to the MEP, the honest and scientific processing of Roma history may strengthen the solidarity among European nations and may also contribute to the social inclusion of Roma, one of the barriers of which is the lack of knowledge concerning Roma and their history.
Járóka reminded that the European Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies is so far the largest initiative on the EU-level to address the social exclusion of Roma and with proper political will and financial resources it may deliver tangible results until the end of this decade.
(Fidesz-frakció)
Feliratkozás:
Bejegyzések (Atom)