Advances towards agricultural state subsidies worth some HUF 200 billion will be paid to farmers by the end of the year, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office stated at his press conference held on Thursday in Budapest.

According to János Lázár, some 105,000 Hungarian farmers will have access to agricultural subsidies to the value of more than HUF 150 billion by the beginning of December, and the Office for Rural Development is planning to disburse some HUF 200 billion in total by the end of the year.

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He added: they also started the disbursement of the expedited small producer subsidies. The Minister informed the press that loan applications worth HUF 193 billion were received by the Hungarian Development Bank in connection with the land sales which are ongoing also at present. The requested loans are mostly below HUF 50 million. He repeatedly pointed out that the central bank will be required to supply a new credit facility.

The Minister said that 50 thousand hectares of land have been sold so far to the value of almost HUF 70 billion, which is beyond expectations. He added: the programme will continue until 31 December. The Government will review the results in January, and will as expected decide on the extension of the programme.

Mr Lázár also told the press that they support the proposal of Fidesz MP Balázs Győrffy, who is the President of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture, regarding the amendment of the Civil Code which “will at the very least create the opportunity” for the new owner to adjust rentals after the sale of state-owned land to the prevailing market conditions.

He further informed members of the press that the Government Decree on model farms is on the Prime Minister’s desk. He indicated that Mezőhegyes, too, will be such a farm, and a ministerial commissioner will be appointed to oversee it.

One of main organisers was at Keleti Railway Station

“Reports have been released in connection with the issue of terrorism that one of the main organisers of the Paris attacks has been to Budapest; I can confirm this information”, Mr Lázár stated, adding: “according to our information and assumption, he was also at Keleti Railway Station, and according to our information and assumption, he recruited a team of migrants refusing to undergo Hungarian state registration and left the country with them”. The Minister pointed out that this information was not at the disposal of the Hungarian secret services at the time of the crisis; they were informed by partner services subsequently.

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Mr Lázár reiterated: it gives rise to concern and is a major threat and risk that some 230,000 people crossed the country without controls of any kind, and the most emblematic location was Keleti Railway Station where a few hundred, later some one thousand and eventually four thousand young migrants refused to undergo identification and registration by the authorities. In the Minister’s view, this kind of behaviour cannot be detached from the fact that they later left the country together with a principal organiser of the Paris attacks.

RTL Television in Belgium reported on its website on Wednesday that Salah Abdeslam, one of the main organisers and participants of the terrorist attacks in Paris last month may have met two men returning from Syria, who later blew themselves up as suicide bombers in the series of attacks, in Hungary.

Hungary has turned to EC against mandatory immigration quotas

Mr Lázár also announced that Hungary, together with Slovakia, turned to the European Commission against the mandatory immigration quotas in the afternoon. He described the quotas as an illegitimate imposed measure, and stressed the importance of the strength of cooperation among the Visegrád Four. He highlighted that the mandatory distribution of immigrants within the EU continues to remain in force, and would result in the settling of more than 10,000 migrants in Hungary in the next few years. The settling of those “invited” from Turkey “was not yet mandatory on Sunday”, and Mr Lázár hopes that this will continue to remain the case also this week.

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The Minister took the view that the Hungarian position has been confirmed: ombudsman László Székely contacted the Constitutional Court on account of the fact that, in his view, the quotas are in actual fact an act of expulsion which cannot be collective. He further welcomed the development that Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, too, took a stronger stance on the issue and urged the stopping of the flow of immigration.

Mr Lázár also told the press that a civil-society organisation, funded in his view by György Soros, initiated a signature collection campaign against Hungary, and was granted the opportunity to do so by the European Commission. He does not know what Mr Soros’s problem is that warrants the organisation of a signature collection campaign against his native country, the Minister pointed out, and indicated that they respect the EC’s decision. The politician took the view that the Thursday debate held in the European Parliament regarding the situation in Hungary attracted little interest. He thanked the European People’s Party for standing up for Hungary; at the same time, he expressed regret at the fact that there are some who take action against their own country in the EP.

Mr Lázár confirmed in answer to a question that Hungary supports Turkey’s accession to the EU. At the same time, he said, it would be strange if the Turks were granted relaxed visa terms or visa waiver before the Ukrainians. He referred to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s priority political objective to support a visa waiver programme for Ukraine in Brussels.

The Minister was also asked about the accusations of terrorism in Szeklerland. He said: they will provide all the assistance that may be required, and the suspicion emerges indeed that we are dealing with a show trial.

Hungarian pavilion of world exposition may be taken to Karcag

The Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office described the „travels” of the pavilion as somewhat adventurous which was, in his words, „taken as hostage by the Italians”. However, the Hungarian Government would very much like to get it back. Five localities put in requests for accommodating the structure; the Government supports Karcag, he added. He further informed the press that the Government approved the construction of a new football stadium on Dorozsmai út under the supervision of Szeged-Csanád Bishop László Kiss-Rigó, and the South Plain forestry will make available the necessary area.

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At its Wednesday meeting, the Government approved the agreement which the Prime Minister concluded with the city of Szombathely, decided on raising the funds necessary for the operation of the democracy centre of the Tom Lantos Institute, and heard Lajos Mocsai, Rector of the University of Physical Education regarding his development concepts.

The Minister was asked about the comment made by Mayor István Tarlós in a number of interviews. The Mayor said: “If they do not believe that this is how much the running of public transport costs, that we do not just spend money in an irresponsible manner, the Budapest transport company BKV should just be handed over to the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office.” Mr Lázár said in his answer that the Government made an offer for taking over BKV in 2011 which the Mayor refused at the time. If he has changed his mind, the Government is still ready to do so, he added.

At the press conference, several questions were asked about the relocation of ministries. The Minister indicated that the Buda Castle had a state administration function also before 1945. As a long-term goal – over a period of twenty years – he mentioned that the Prime Minister would be seated in Sándor Palace, the Prime Minister’s Office would be accommodated in the White Friar Monastery, and the office of the President of the Republic would be relocated to the Budavár Palace.

The Minister was further asked about reports that some employees of the Klebelsberg Institution Maintenance Centre did not receive their salaries. He said in his answer that the problem is not of a financial but of a technical nature. The institution introduced a new IT system after a two-month test-operation period, and this is what may have caused the problem.

Regarding the physicians departing from the Szent Imre Hospital, he said: the Government requested information from the Minister of Human Resources. “Thanks to the physicians remaining on the hospital’s payroll”, the operation of the department can be maintained, but it is a fact beyond doubt that Hungary must continuously address the financing of health care, the pay of doctors and the continuation of the recently launched career model.

Government to propose review of new Civil Code

The Government will also propose to Parliament a review of the Civil Code which entered into force in 2013 during the spring session, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office announced.

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Mr Lázár further reported that the Government compiled the spring legislative programme at its Wednesday meeting. They will propose to Parliament that they debate, inter alia, the proposals on the new procedures in public administration, new public administration arbitration and the treasury legal directorate, Mr Lázár said. In answer to a question related to the review of the Civil Code, he later pointed out that they would like to reinforce the position of proprietors against tenants in the Civil Code.

In addition to the approval of the budget, the Minister highlighted the following priorities in the context of the legislative programme: extension of the jurisdiction of district and government offices, pay rise of public service workers and the comprehensive reform of construction-related affairs with a view to the reduction of bureaucracy.

The Government further approved the presentation to the House of the proposals related to waste and forestry management, social administration, the system of social care and child protection, he said. Mr Lázár informed the press that the Government will also present to Parliament proposals concerning the water management and energy sectors, water utility services, and bankruptcy and liquidation procedures.

Mr Lázár answered in the negative in reply to a question about whether the Government is planning to extend the autumn session of Parliament closing on 15 December and to schedule extraordinary sessions.

Government assigns special role to county-ranked cities

The Minister informed the press that the Government is assigning a special role to county-ranked cities in the country’s economic growth in 2016, and therefore brought forward the promotion of their infrastructure developments. He added: the Cabinet approved an urgent allocation of HUF 25 billion to county-ranked cities. In answer to a question, he said that the Prime Minister will visit Szeged at the end of February as expected, while in Salgótarján they will wait until the election of the new mayor.

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He further told the press that the Government heard Government Commissioner Dávid Héjj’s report on the development of Tokaj-Hegyalja. The Commissioner compiled a development programme worth HUF 90 billion. As he said, the Hungarian Government will contribute to this programme with an allocation of HUF 3.7 billion by December this year.

According to Mr Lázár, the Government supports the proposal currently before Parliament which permits a 30 per cent increase in the pay of the mayors of small localities.

He indicated that the Government likewise supports the plan that this should not only apply to localities with a population of 1,500, but also to those with a population of 2,000 if the municipalities concerned have the necessary funds at their disposal.

Further negotiations to begin in the interest of protecting reduction of household utility bills

The Minister informed the press that the Government discussed the report on the status of the infringement procedures instituted on energy issues, and decided to engage in further negotiations with the European Commission in the interest of protecting the reduction of household utility bills. As he said, procedures on similar issues are ongoing against some 10 Member States, and the Hungarian Government will seek to find allies among them.

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He said that the Government will meet again on 16 December; at this meeting, they will also discuss the new first home programme.

In answer to a question, Mr Lázár said that they approved the most stringent public procurement regulations of all time which are also Europe’s most stringent public procurement regulations as the relatives of state leaders sharing a household with them are barred from the procedures.

In reasoning the amendment approved on Tuesday, he said that the Justice Ministry reviewed the legislation which entered into force in November and raised constitutional concerns.

He then pointed out: the bids of “the person, persons involved in the media” are accessible to the public. In his view, the press is running ahead of itself when it claims that the amendment was made in someone’s interest. The Government approved a principle, based on which it will not bar distant relatives from all public procurements in Hungary, he pointed out.

In answer to another question, he further reported that he increased the salaries of the executives of the state-owned companies under his supervision because he finds it difficult to recruit good experts unless he gives them the market rates. He added: this is HUF 5 million in the banking sector, HUF 4 million in the energy sector, and around HUF 2 to 3 million in the case of smaller companies.

The Minister told the press in answer to a question that the release of the Századvég contracts is currently ongoing; at the same time, he regarded the case as a political attack. Mr Lázár said: this Government has spent HUF 5 billion on consulting over a period of five years, while “the commies, sorry, socialists” spent HUF 17 billion between 2006 and 2010.

Arms sales complied with all laws and regulations

The sale of some of the arms of the Hungarian Defence Forces complied with all laws and regulations, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office stated.

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Mr Lázár pointed out with reference to the information released by the ministry: the path of the items sold can be tracked, and both the seller and the buyer were in possession of the necessary licences. Extremely stringent rules govern the sale of unused weapons, he said.

The Minister was queried about this because the spokesperson for the political party Párbeszéd Magyarországért announced on Tuesday: a hunting shop bought more than a thousand discarded rockets from the defence forces which only had a sales revenue of HUF 20 million in 2012.

The uncut version of the video recordings made at the event can be downloaded in the Press Room.

(Prime Minister's Office)