Hungary does not support changing the European Union budget or starting accession negotiations with Ukraine, Gergely Gulyas, head of the Prime Minister’s Office, said at a regular press briefing on Thursday.
The government believes that the EU wants to change the budget when it has not even implemented the current budget, Gulyas said, adding that no impact study had been prepared on the impact of the Ukraine’s membership across the bloc.
Concerning the problems of execution of the community budget, Gulyas referred to “the non-payment by the EU to Hungary and Poland of the funds owed to them”, the delays in the payments of the recovery fund and the general level low payments. He added that the European Commission’s refusal to provide funds to Hungary and Poland was illegal.
Regarding Ukraine’s accession, Gulyas said that no assessment of Ukraine’s compliance with EU entry criteria had ever been carried out. Furthermore, the impact of this country’s integration on community cohesion funds, the common agricultural policy and member states’ contributions to the common budget is unclear, he added. At the same time, the integration of the “much better prepared” Western Balkans is falling behind schedule, he added.
On another subject, the minister said the government would extend the freeze on interest rates for small and medium-sized businesses, families and student loans. The rate freeze affects 30,000 businesses and 300,000 families, he said, adding that they needed to be protected from “high interest rates caused by misguided Brussels sanctions and war.” The rate freeze is extended until April 1 for SMEs and until July 1, 2024 for families and student loan holders, he said. Gulyas said the measures have so far helped businesses save 2.5 million forints each and left 420,000 forints for each family.
At the same time, Gulyas said the government would provide subsidy to companies for setting up green energy storages.
The cabinet earlier launched a program with 70 billion forints to enable households to install solar panel systems and energy storage capacities, he said, adding that so far several Tens of thousands of families had applied for and received grants under this program.
The cabinet has now decided to extend the stockpiling program for businesses, he said, adding that they could initially apply for central budgetary support and then funding under the Recovery and Recovery Facility. resilience of the EU.
Companies can submit their bids until February 5 next year and must complete their projects by April 30, 2026, Gulyas said.
Responding to a question, Gulyas said the minimum wage would increase on December 1, but some benefits would only increase in January or February.
Regarding the proposed changes for the Budapest Assembly election, Gulyas said that the current system and the proposed system were democratic and that district mayors would not be excluded from the Assembly in the new system.
Responding to another question, he said the government supported Sweden’s NATO membership, but added that “there were many reasons why (ruling) Fidesz MPs had concerns.” and that Parliament would vote “when (the bill) receives sufficient support”.
Responding to a question about the left opposition’s “attacks” on the sovereignty protection law, Gulyas said that “if someone serves foreign interests and allows himself to be influenced by foreign interests, he will not support not an authority promoting transparency in politics and ensuring that it is free from influence.” . “There are international forces rather than (Hungarian) voters behind the left,” Gulyas said, adding that critics of the new legislation could appeal to the Constitutional Court.
Responding to questions about the opposition’s cooperation efforts ahead of next year’s European elections, Gulyas said that “on the left side, Ferenc Gyurcsany continues to be the boss, things will happen the way he wants” . He criticized the Momentum movement for MEP Anna Donath’s support for Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony, “also supported by Gyurcsany’s Democratic Coalition (DK)”, although Momentum had previously rejected the possibility of cooperation.
“The deputies and mayors of Momentum are now turning one by one towards Democratic Kampuchea,” insisted Gulyas.
In response to a question, Gulyas said the government hoped that Ukraine would restore the pre-2017 rights of national minorities, especially in the field of education.
He said Ukraine’s current bill does not introduce any additional restrictions, but even if it restores some of the rights removed, “we are still not where we were.”
Commenting on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, he said Hungary’s position consistently called for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks.
“The war was because Russia attacked Ukraine, so Russia’s responsibility cannot be questioned,” he said. “It is another question whether Ukraine acted wisely when it restricted the rights of nationalities,” he added.
In response to a question regarding recent talks between Prime Minister Viktor Orban and European Council President Charles Michel, he said that the EU budget, financing of Ukraine and the country’s possible membership in the The EU was among the topics discussed.
He said remarks by a German Green MP following a visit to Ukraine, saying Hungarians in Zakarpattia were in the best possible situation, lacked seriousness.
Regarding hospital waiting lists, he said they were significantly shorter in Hungary than in some developed European countries. The Interior Ministry is preparing a program to further reduce the lists, he added.
In response to a question about why the ruling Fidesz had not yet nominated a candidate for Budapest mayor, he said the party’s board had not finalized its decision on this issue.
Commenting on the guest worker law, he said anyone who wants to take a job with a foreigner must report it to the employment office. If Hungarians are available to fill this position, they should be given preference, he added.
Separately, Gulyas announced that the government would take a stake in Budapest Airport “in a few weeks”, adding that the necessary funds were at the government’s disposal. He said the purchase was aimed at improving Hungary’s economic situation and added that the airport was “a goose that lays golden eggs”. He also added that more tourists could visit Hungary, which would help increase tax revenue. He also suggested the facility would require major development. While the Hungarian state will only own part of BA, collecting “about half” of its revenues, “the indirect revenues once the developments are completed will amount to several times more,” Gulyas insisted.
The new sovereignty protection authority will have no power over the press and “will not be able to restrict the freedom of editors,” Gulyas said.
On the subject of euthanasia, Gulyas said the option of “passive euthanasia” was “available, since anyone can refuse health services.” “The correct position is not to force someone to take the life of another,” he said. Euthanasia is “a dangerous door that should not be opened because many elderly people could feel that they are no longer needed,” he added.
Responding to a question regarding comments by Janos Lazar, the Minister of Construction, suggesting that foreign companies could be “expelled” from the Hungarian market, Gulyas said the government had no such objective; it “works to offer Hungarian companies the opportunity to become general contractors”.
