Hungary is expecting the advent of a better world with the election of the new President of the United States, János Lázár, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office said in evaluation of the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States at the press conference Governmentinfo 69 which he held jointly with Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács.
Mr Lázár pointed out: the Government hopes that a fair partnership may evolve between the two countries. He reiterated: while Hungary has had disputes with the United States to date, these disputes had nothing to do with the American people. They were disputes with the Democratic Party. In his view, these stemmed from the fact that Fidesz and the national side did not agree with them on the values, based on which they should reorganise the country after 2010, while the Hungarian Government’s anti-immigration policy has also been criticised. „We have been taught a lesson on quite a few occasions, he said, Hungary has been taken to task” by the Democrats.
Hungary, however, looks upon the new presidency as a new beginning, and it may also be hopeful for the world, and may bring about stability, he said, and expressed hope that in the future Hungary and its Government will be given the respect it is entitled to. He added: economic and military cooperation between Hungary and the United States has been excellent also to date.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has not yet spoken to the newly elected President of the United States, he said in answer to a question. At the same time, he also told the press: in his view, the American election result cannot be detached from the performance of the incumbent Democrat President, Barack Obama, which has caused serious damage in some strata of society, or from the fact that the Democratic Party showed preference for topics which were not about the majority of electors.
He found it edifying that those who wanted to understand life in the United States from the press in the past one year „bet on the wrong horse because the press has lost its ability to inform readers of the actual situation”. Instead, the American press has become one of the protagonists in shaping reality.
Mr Lázár rendered an account of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May held in London on Wednesday where, in the Minister’s view, the Hungarian party succeeded in guaranteeing the legal protection of Hungarians working in Britain also after Brexit. He said: if British nationals are given the right to work in the EU, based on the principle of reciprocity, they will grant the same right to Hungarians in their own territory.
He pointed out that Europe has a vested interest in making Brexit successful, while Britain has a vested interest in continuing to remain successful also beyond Brexit. Hungary takes the view that there is a win-win solution that is equally advantageous for Europe and Britain, he said. He stated in summary: Washington and London are hopeful territories as far as Hungary’s future is concerned.
Hungary is best at using cohesion funds
In the context of the criticisms levelled at the use of EU funds, Mr Lázár voiced his position to the effect that the cohesion funds and solidarity related to immigration are not related.
In his view, Hungary is the best and fastest at using the cohesion funds. However, in order to resolve the outstanding disputes – as several times in the past – the Government and the European Commission (EC) had talks on Wednesday. He said: the EC adopted a constructive approach to the issue. Mr Lázár told the press: the criticisms are mostly based on reports filed against Hungary from Hungary, and he also remarked: most of these reports are received in Brussels from Hungary.
In answer to a question regarding the granting of visa-free travel to Turkey, he said: they are expecting major disputes on the matter in the EU because a number of European political forces are expressing concern, including Austria, among others, but there are critical voices from Germany as well.
Changes to be expected in regulations concerning construction
Regarding the amendment of the Public Procurement Act which currently lies before Parliament, he said: they are open to the opinions of civil-society, and even international civil-society organisations on the issue. He mentioned the tightening of the regulations, simplification, and the acceleration of projects as the purpose of the amendment, along with the requirement that public funds should be used in accordance with the most stringent possible regulations, based on the rendering of accurate accounts. The essence of the amendment is that funds in excess of HUF 1 million should only be used against the background of competition, in order to create greater competition and to avoid public procurement procedures without calls. He remarked: in his view, the opposition was unable to provide any meaningful and professional comments in the parliamentary debate on the proposed amendment.
Changes may be expected in construction regulations, he informed the press, after he consulted with a number of architects with respect to the recently introduced new regulations. As he said, both architects and contractors will be required to have liability insurance in the future, according to plans.
Those cities will be eligible for the raised HUF 30 billion grant of the Modern Cities Programme whose programmes the Government has already approved, he said, adding: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been to 18 cities so far.
He further told the press: the Government will consider the proposals of Government Commissioner István Grezsa regarding the launch of a kindergarten development programme in the Carpathian Basin and the introduction of a pay supplement in Transcarpathia for those working in public education, libraries, theatres and editorial offices. He added: they are building Hungarian houses in Transcarpathia.
He said that the Government will approve a strategy against school-leaving without qualifications based on the proposal of the strategic cabinet. According to his information, further fees and duties will be reduced next year, and a new statistical legislative package will be submitted as well. He indicated that the Hungarian Corvin Chain Society would be set up as a public body.
The Minister informed the press that the strategic cabinet discussed the construction of track-based transportation to the Liszt Ferenc Airport. The goal is, he said, to create a railway link within a foreseeable time. He outlined two options: the relocation of the Cegléd line and the construction of a commuting line. He said: EU funds would also be available for the former option, and each of the two solutions would cost HUF 110-150 billion.
Hungary to engage in battle to prevent pro-immigration policy
The Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office said that the amendment of the Fundamental Law, which the opposition parties frustrated due to their own, petty interests, would have been an important weapon in the Government’s hands in the battle. The opposition, too, will have to take responsibility for whatever happens now, he stressed.
He added: on Tuesday the Presidential Board of Fidesz reviewed the situation, and next week the Justice Minister will make a proposal in order to clarify the legal situation. The parliamentary group of Fidesz and the Presidential Board of the party expect the Government to continue to fight for the interests of the country with all its might, he said.
The Minister further pointed out that the Government is no longer able to devote any more attention to the political attempts and „petty political campaigns” of the next few days as everyone had the chance to support the amendment of the Fundamental Law.
Stopping immigration is a pan-national cause
Mr Lázár described the stopping of immigration as a pan-national cause. In his view, one has to take a very firm stance in the debate on this as „all the signs seem to indicate that Hungary may be a country exposed to immigration”. He was of the opinion that if there is immigration to Hungary, there will be an economic decline, the people’s living conditions will deteriorate, and so will security. The Minister said that the summit of the European Council to be held on 16 December may perhaps be a „decisive battle” between the pro-immigration and anti-immigration policies. There will be two proposals on the agenda, he said. One of them is that of the European Commission which seeks to organise immigration. The other one will be the Slovak proposal which is expected to stop immigration, he said.
Mr Lázár took the view that at this point in time not only Hungary and the Visegrád countries are pessimistic about the EU-Turkey agreement any more, but also the Austrians. The Turkish visa issue is affecting the operation of the agreement on its merits, he pointed out.
In his view, Austria clearly stated that the EU-Turkey agreement cannot substitute for the reinforcement and protection of the European borders. The new Austrian Government is making a useful contribution to resolving the issue of immigration in Europe, he stressed.
Immigration must be stopped at the borders of Europe
Mr Lázár further mentioned the German proposal that migrants arriving via the Mediterranean should be turned back and taken to Tunisia and Egypt where camps should be set up where the EU may decide whether to let them in or not. In his view, this proposal confirms the Hungarian position that immigration must be stopped at the borders of Europe.
The repeated amendment of the Fundamental Law in the context of action to be taken against the quotas is not on the agenda, he said in answer to a question. He also stated: he would not use the word ’traitor’ to describe those who chose not to support the amendment, but finds it petty if an opposition party believes that whatever is bad for Fidesz is good for them.
Settlement bonds may be phased out before the end of this year
In answer to the question as to whether there would be another vote on the amendment of the Fundamental Law after the phasing out of the settlement bond, Mr Lázár said: „this is not a kindergarten”, and a decision is expected to be adopted regarding the refugee issue in Brussels in December where „at this point in time, we are not on the winning side”.
In response to Jobbik arguments, the Minister raised the question as to why the issue of the country’s debt financing should be linked to immigration. He added: the residency permits which are issued in conjunction with the settlement bonds are stringently monitored.
In answer to a question concerning the case of Ghaith Pharaon, he said: as the Minister supervising the Information Office, he attended the meeting of the National Security Committee on Monday where he heard the latest reports of the intelligence agencies.
He disclosed the following to the press from the reports: Pharaon applied for a visa on two occasions in October 2014. The birth details stated in the personal documents that were enclosed with the visa application were not the same as those stated in the international warrant. In order to identify the individual, the Constitution Protection Office contacted the competent authorities of the United States for fingerprints. They also asked the Americans to enter the birth date that was stated in the Hungarian submissions in their warrant, but they have failed to do so to date, he added. The fingerprints received were not suitable for identification, and they have not yet received new ones in response to their repeated request, Mr Lázár said.
At the meeting they clarified: Pharaon entered Hungary in compliance with the relevant laws, and the Hungarian authorities – the immigration office and the intelligence agencies – proceeded lawfully. This does not rule out the possibility that this person is the same as the person who is wanted, but neither does it confirm that it is one and the same person, he added.
In his view, the US authorities, too, may have seen Pharaon’s request to enter the Schengen Area, while Germany stated that this is not contrary to its interests.
Why did the US Embassy contact Jobbik in seeking a parliamentary contribution on the matter, rather than request the Minister of Interior to arrest him? – he asked the question. In the context of this presumption, Mr Lázár alluded to Márton Gyöngyösi’s contribution in Parliament on Monday which indicated that the Member of Parliament for Jobbik was aware of what the US Ambassador told the Interior Minister.
The Minister further told the press that at the meeting they also spoke about the radical organisation Magyar Nemzeti Arcvonal. Regarding this, however, the police only told the committee before the closing of its internal investigation: the Counter Terrorism Centre kept all their activities under control. He remarked: the organisation has seven members at present.
Mr Lázár said that the Government will allocate HUF 3 billion for e-procurement, and HUF 7 billion for fostering the oeuvre of architect Imre Makovecz in 2016 and 2017. He added: two grants each worth 1.5 billion and an emergency grant of HUF 1.8 billion have been approved for the reconstruction of the historical centre of the city of Sopron.
He informed the press that the work related to the closing down of support institutions is well on its way, and the Government will decide on the long-term stable operation of the integration of credit institutions operating as cooperatives.
The Minister said that the Government had approved the settlement of the status of the Károlyi István Centre for Children in Fót. The children placed in custody there – whether they are unaccompanied minor migrants arriving in Hungary or Hungarian nationals – must receive fair treatment, and will be accommodated in a new and modern institution.
In answer to a question, he said that they are not planning to sell the Batthyány Castle in Bicske which accommodates a children’s home.
He also mentioned that they are unable to increase salaries in the public sector; however, they are ready to talk to the representatives of the social sector and municipal officials.
Regarding the avian influenza case in Békés County, he said that no humans have been infected, while they have no information yet regarding the extent of the economic losses.
He told the press regarding the five-party agreement reached with respect to doubling the salaries of the mayors of small localities: the Government has not yet discussed the proposal, but in their view, the rules regarding conflicts of interests should be changed first.
Concerning the refurbishment of metro line 3, Mr Lázár said: a government resolution has already been adopted with respect to a grant of HUF 137 billion, while there is no decision yet on the guarantee worth HUF sixty billion.
(Prime Minister’s Office)
