On Thursday the Government Spokesperson told MTI that the Government has instructed all ministries and ministerial background institutions to terminate their subscription contracts with Magyar Telekom. He later added that they will terminate mobile internet subscriptions.

In response to a question from press agency MTI, Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács said that one of the points on the agenda at Wednesday's Cabinet meeting had been Magyar Telekom’s decision to terminate its sponsorship contract with the singer Ákos Kovács.

"The Government was astonished to learn of Magyar Telekom’s decision, which we believe runs counter to both the spirit and the letter of the Hungarian constitution", the Spokesperson said.

He said that such a step might conceivably be possible in Germany, but "we consider it unacceptable that in Hungary today anyone should be discriminated against in this way on account of their opinions and views".

The Spokesperson said that following Magyar Telekom’s decision, the Government has therefore instructed all ministries and ministerial background institutions to terminate their current telecommunications subscription contracts with the company. He later added that they will terminate mobile internet subscriptions, but that the partnership agreement between Magyar Telekom and the Government will remain unaffected.

He added that in one ministry 103 such contract terminations have already been initiated, and an assessment is being carried out as to exactly how many other contracts exist in ministries and their background institutions.

Magyar Telekom has said that it has terminated its sponsorship contract with the singer because it does not considers the nature of comments made by the performer in a television interview to be compatible with the telecommunication group's beliefs and values. In an interview with the Hungarian channel Echo TV Ákos Kovács had spoken about his opinions on the role of women within families and in society in general.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)