Two questions will relate to the prison business in the national consultation questionnaire, the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister stated.

Csaba Dömötör said this topic had been included in the national consultation because convicted criminals had so far instituted 12,000 lawsuits against the Hungarian State, and this had cost Hungarian taxpayers HUF 8.5 billion up to this point in time alone.

He added that the government will ask whether Hungarians support or object to the possibility of starting such lawsuits for damages.

The State Secretary drew attention to the fact that another important aspect of the “prison business” is that only a fraction of the damages awarded goes to victims of crimes.

He said they will also ask whether these damages should go to convicts, or should instead be channelled to victims.

Mr Dömötör pointed out that the government has its own opinions on these matters. However, “organisations funded from abroad” take a different view, and also for this reason they believe it is important that people in the largest possible numbers should state their opinions.

He indicated that from today on they will present the questions of the national consultation topic by topic, and will release further questions in the coming days.

(MTI)