Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is asking Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, in a letter that the Brussels Commission should make a 50 per cent contribution to Hungary’s border protection costs which have amounted to EUR 800 million, that is, some HUF 270 billion to date, János Lázár, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office said at the press conference Governmentinfo 96 which he held jointly with Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács.
According to Mr Lázár, in the context of European solidarity, the issue of border protection should also be mentioned, and solidarity must likewise be manifested in practice.
he said, and indicated in answer to a question: if Brussels pays, the funds will be returned to the central budget.
“We would like to see solidarity manifested in specific actions, rather than in mere messages”, he stated.
He stressed: Hungary has adhered to the protection of the European Union’s Schengen borders ever since the outbreak of the migration crisis, and with the construction of the border fence and the training of border guards – which were financed by Hungarian taxpayers –
He further reported that the Commission had already provided assistance for quite a few countries: Greece has already received one half of the promised EUR 1 billion, Italy has been given EUR 656 million, and Bulgaria will receive EUR 100 million. It is time that Hungary, too, should submit its request, he said.
Plan of construction of camps in Libya coincides with Hungarian position
Mr Lázár also said: the plan of the construction of camps in Libya, the repatriation of migrants to their countries of origin and the elimination of the causes of immigration coincide with the Hungarian position. He reiterated that the Hungarian Government suggested the installation of hotspots already two years ago. The issue of the setting up of camps is on the agenda in Libya where migrants would be required to wait and to comply with the relevant procedures, he added.
He further confirmed that the Government had extended the state of crisis caused by mass immigration – which would have expired on 7 September – until 7 March. He pointed out that 773 persons had crossed the Hungarian border illegally up to 30 August, while in the absence of the fence, the numbers would be similar to those observed two years ago.
The Minister also told the press: the European Commission and Germany have „launched a campaign” against Poland and are applying double standards in relation to the Poles. Hungary reassures the Polish people and government of its support, he pointed out, adding: they call the country to account over things which operate in other countries as standard practices. It is unacceptable that the European Commission should launch political campaigns against Poland, and Germany should try to push them into a corner, he highlighted.
In answer to a question concerning the quota lawsuit, he said: if following the decision of the European Court expected to be released next week the Hungarian Government is unable to come to an agreement with the European Commission or has any doubts, the case will be repeatedly presented to the court as the present lawsuit is merely about whether the quota decision complies with European law or not.
School enrolment costs significantly reduced
The costs of families related to the enrolment of their children in school have been reduced significantly, Mr Lázár stressed. The Minister highlighted: children receive textbooks free of charge in 9 grades now, more than one million pupils and students in total.
He further stressed that more than one half of children receive free meals in the educational system. Mr Lázár also mentioned that the salaries of teachers will increase by 3.5 per cent on average as of September. He spoke about the recently announced school refurbishment programme and the summer camps organised for children.
“We are fully prepared for the start of the school year”, Mr Lázár stated, indicating: compared with the last budget prepared by the socialists, the Government will spend HUF 555 billion more on education in 2018.
He said at the same time: the reorganisation of the educational roundtable is under way as one of the important education policy tasks of the next quarter will be the conducting of technical and professional consultations in connection with the new national core curriculum.
Decision adopted on major ambulance procurement
The Minister told the press: the Government will be spending five billion forints on ambulances, they are planning to procure 100 new vehicles annually in the interest of the continuous renewal of the ambulance fleet.
He further reported that, similar to several other EU Member States, Hungary, too, will permit the implementation of various pharmaceutical experiments in hospitals.
The Government provided HUF 622 million for the Ministry of Human Capacities to support the Hungarian Interchurch Aid in an aid programme worth HUF 500 million in Iraq and the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta in programmes implemented in Palestine, Jordan and the eastern half of the City of Aleppo in Syria.
The Minister also indicated that they will suggest to Parliament: in localities where there is no prohibition in force or priority water management task, wells should be allowed to be drilled to a depth of 80 metres without permission free of charge. This involves 88 per cent of the country, he added. Every locality will be able to tell what is permitted, and municipalities will be required to create their ordinances in cooperation with the competent water protection authorities.
Mr Lázár informed the press: they are contributing to the developments of the municipalities of 152 small localities, inter alia, for the refurbishment of roads, pavements, kindergartens and playgrounds. They will also extend the deadline for the completion of the manuals regarding the townscapes of localities: municipalities will have until 31 December instead of 31 October.
He listed among the Government’s decisions that they will facilitate the importation of textbooks for the National Serb Self-Government, a new watering system will be installed on an area of 27 thousand hectares in the Mezőhegyes Stud Farm, and four medical universities will be given excess grants.
The Cabinet further decided that the Seuso treasures will be displayed at exhibitions to be held in Kaposvár, Kecskemét, Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Székesfehérvár and Zalaegerszeg, and HUF 300 million will be allocated for the organisation of the exhibitions.
Mr Lázár offered his condolences at the press conference Governmentinfo to the relatives of the Kossuth Prize winning film director Károly Makk who passed away on Wednesday. His death is an enormous loss to Hungarian culture, he said.
In answer to the enquiry that, according to press reports, certain senior managerial jobs in state administration could only be awarded to persons with political science degrees obtained from the Public Service University as of 2023, the Minister said: there is no final decision yet, but according to the Government a system should be created where, in the case of certain jobs, a university degree in political science should be a condition of hiring, while in other cases, it would be an advantage.
People in Hungarian state offices have to work extremely hard
Mr Lázár was asked about the fact that a former government office manager said: in his view, government offices in the countryside have been filled with people associated with Fidesz. „That is nonsense”, Mr Lázár commented on the claim, refuting that anything like this could have emerged in the context of 35 thousand people.
Those who work in the district or government offices today must work extremely work, he highlighted. He said: „I have sent 3,500 people away from this system, and have terminated 2,000 managerial positions. There is no place, air or money for anyone here to hang around and loaf about, or to find their advancement by sucking up to others.”
In the context of another question concerning the reduction of bureaucracy, he agreed that Hungary will need a smaller state sector and fewer workers employed from public funds in the next few years.
He was also asked about the diplomatic negotiations regarding the CEU. He said: they are making slow progress, there is no result as yet.
In answer to a question concerning the words of András Veres, President of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference condemning the artificial insemination programme, he said: the bishop represented the position of the church, and he has no right or possibility to comment on the conviction of the church. „We are, however, employees of the State, and the goal of the Hungarian Government is to achieve that as many babies are born as possible”, he stated, highlighting: the artificial insemination programme has brought the blessing of a baby for many infertile families.
The Minister said in response to a question about the words of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Tusnádfürdő regarding the struggle with certain media outlets: while he does not normally struggle with the media, he understands what the Prime Minister meant. The media outlets for which György Soros provides financial assistance do have the capacity to shape opinions, he said, and added in answer to a further question: the conservative political family needs allies in the media, and „the businesspeople who invested in this (…) also did so in order to help, and this is only right”.
In answer to another journalist’s question, he said: they are ready to recommend to UNESCO that the cemetery at Fiumei út and the attached Salgótarján út Jewish cemetery should be declared a part of world heritage.
Mr Lázár was further asked about the fact that, according to press reports, waste containing asbestos was left on the demolition site of the entertainment complex Petőfi Csarnok. He said in reply: he instructed the metropolitan government office to investigate these reports.
(MTI)
