The Minister heading the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister takes the view that Fidesz has created national affairs out of ideas which others earlier considered utterly inconceivable and unfeasible.

Antal Rogán spoke about this in an interview given to 888.hu on Thursday. He also pointed out that there is a political alternative to Fidesz, but there is no governmental alternative to the ruling party, and further said that the Cabinet will support the Metropolitan Mayor with any means at its disposal.

Mr Rogán believes that Fidesz has created national affairs out of cases which others earlier thought utterly inconceivable and beyond the realms of realisation. This is how job creation, the promotion of families and the reduction of household utility bills have become national affairs, and this is how the first home scheme, too, will become a national affair. Additionally, it is these national affairs that may make Hungary a stable and predictable country. These measures of the Government can be relied upon in the long run, which is the long-term proof of stability and predictability. He remarked: it seems as if there is no political alternative to Fidesz today. However, in the Minister’s view this is not the case. At the same time, there is no governmental alternative to the ruling party.

The politician also said that both men and women are free to do with their lives what they want. “If they want to live alone, they live alone. If they envisage their lives in a relationship, that is their choice. If they consider their career more important than having children, they are free to see their career as a higher priority”, he said. Neither the State, nor civic politics seeks to interfere with these issues in any way. He would be pleased, however, if no one, including the liberals, sought to exercise any kind of preference dictatorship, he remarked. The Government encourages people to have children, and attempts to convince families to have more children, but does not in any way or form oblige or penalise those who decide otherwise, he stated. The Minister added: he is convinced that László Kövér, too, spoke about this at the Fidesz Congress.

Mr Rogán remarked: in 2015 one could only perceive the family first home benefit as a meaningful term within the confines of private life. In 2016, however, this term will with all probability also be widely used within the banking sector.

The Minister firmly rejected all opposition attacks which were launched against the Metropolitan Mayor and the Government. If there is anyone who has been working on the maintenance of viable public transport for the capital and the urban agglomeration for years, it has to be the Metropolitan Mayor first of all, and the Prime Minister, he pointed out. The Government supports the Metropolitan Mayor with all means at its disposal. The Mayor did not in the least sustain a loss of political confidence as far as the Government is concerned; in fact, the contrary is true, Mr Rogán said.

He indicated: the next task will be to make the necessary preparations for the 2017 budget. He reiterated: Hungarian entrepreneurs and businesses have been aware of the taxes that will be in force in Hungary as of the first of January 2016 for some six months now. They would like to keep up this tradition, and Parliament will therefore decide on next year’s tax laws and budget by mid-2016.

The Minister highlighted: the most important challenge of 2017-2018 is to raise wages, whilst preserving economic competitiveness. To this end, it is necessary to consult with the Chamber, the employer organisations, and later with the employee representations. A common solution will be required, he added.

Mr Rogán told the news portal that the EU was unable to rise to any of the challenges it faced last year. It was unable to deal with the debt crisis and was likewise unable to conquer the migrant crisis, not even mentioning internal structural problems which manifest themselves in the dilemma as to what the European Union actually is: a Europe of nations or some kind of United States of Europe in the making, Mr Rogán pointed out. A decision must be taken sooner of later that Europe will remain a Europe of nations. In that case, however, we must put an end to Brussels’ curtailment of national sovereignty through the stealthy withdrawal of national powers. In a case to the contrary, Europe will take a different direction in 2016, the Minister argued.

We are able to plan the economy in a stable manner if the European Union finally pulls itself together and conquers the economic crisis, while from a political perspective we are able to make stable plans if we see that Europe sides with the reasonable solution to the migrant issue, Mr Rogán said. The Minister explained: we must first protect the borders, and we can only decide on whom we are prepared to take in, in what numbers and on the basis of what criteria, once we have done so. We can only make stable and predictable plans if the EU’s decision-making procedures equally apply to everyone within the EU; in other words, if there are no double standards. Brussels is currently not acting in this spirit, he said.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)