Szájer's Actions

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ORBÁN: SZÁJER’S ACTIONS ‘INDEFENSIBLE’

József Szájer’s actions are incompatible with Fidesz’s values, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has told the online edition of the daily Magyar Nemzet.

Szájer, a long-time Fidesz MEP who on Tuesday apologised to his family and political community for breaching lockdown rules by attending a house party in Brussels, has quit the Fidesz party, Magyar Nemzet reported. The politician tendered his resignation to Fidesz party director Gábor Kubatov on Wednesday, the paper said. “What our fellow deputy József Szájer did is incompatible with the values of our political community,” Orbán told Magyar Nemzet during a break in a cabinet meeting. “We won’t forget or disavow his thirty years of work, but his action is unacceptable and indefensible. After what happened, he made the only right decision by apologising and stepping down as an MEP and quitting Fidesz,” Orbán said, adding that his party has acknowledged Szájer’s decision. Szájer on Tuesday said it was irresponsible of him to violate Belgium’s lockdown rules, adding that he was prepared to face the consequences of his actions. He announced his resignation as an MEP on Sunday, saying that his decision marked the end of a “long period of reflection”.

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and other international agreements, emphasising that “this is about FIDESZ: ‘ATTACKS’ she said. “Political pressure and attacks the future of their community”. ON TRANSCARPATHIAN are means that are unacceptable from The stronger the Hungarian HUNGARIANS an EU aspirant country,” Bocskor said. representation in Bucharest will be, ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ She called on the European Parliament the louder Hungarians’ voices will and the EU as a whole on behalf of be when it comes to deciding on the The “political pressure” being exerted the Fidesz-KDNP MEPs’ group to future, he said. on Transcarpathian Hungarians address the issue of Transcarpathian Hungary has pragmatic reasons and “attacks” directed against the Hungarians and the infringement of for wanting close relations with community and their leaders by their rights, which she said “has been Romania, he said, noting that Ukraine are “unacceptable”, an swept under the carpet so many times the neighbouring country was MEP for Hungary’s ruling Fidesz before”. Hungary’s fourth most important said. Andrea Bocskor’s statement “This is a call for Brussels to make export market. Hungary exports came just a day after Hungary’s a strong statement and flag the more than 5.5 billion euros worth of foreign minister briefed his possibility of sanctions in a bid to goods and services to Romania each NATO counterparts on recent have Ukraine observe European year, Szijjártó said. The minister said developments concerning the principles on minority rights,” the good relations between Hungary Hungarian community in Ukraine. MEP said. and Romania were also good for Péter Szijjártó said that on Monday Hungarians living in Romania and Ukraine’s secret service had SZIJJÁRTÓ: STRONGER Romanians in Hungary. “We believe “occupied” the headquarters of RMDSZ PRESENCE that a stronger presence by the ethnic Hungarian cultural association IN ROMANIA PARLT ethnic Hungarian RMDSZ party in the KMKSZ, the home of its leader, László WOULD HELP BILATERAL Romanian parliament would benefit Brenzovics, the Ferenc Rákóczi II TIES bilateral cooperation,” Szijjártó said. Hungarian College of Transcarpathia The minister said RMDSZ had in Berehove (Beregszász) and the Hungary’s relationship with Romania told the Hungarian government offices of the organisation in charge would benefit from the ethnic that the best way it could help of the Hungarian government’s Hungarian RMDSZ party increasing its ethnic Hungarians was by offering economic development scheme presence in the Romanian parliament, economic support, as it benefits geared towards the region. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said both the community and the region Bocskor, a Transcarpathian MEP, said in Târgu Mureș (Marosvásárhely). At as a whole. “I’d like to think that my this week’s developments were part a joint press conference with RMDSZ Romanian colleagues also believe that of a process that had begun in 2017 in leader Hunor Kelemen, Szijjártó an economically more prosperous the form of laws limiting the rights of said he was not in Transylvania to Transylvanian Szekler Hungarian minorities, which she said had resulted meddle in Romania’s internal affairs, community is in Romania’s interest as in “the intimidation and incapacitation” noting that Hungary was “careful to much as it is in Hungary’s,” he said. of the KMKSZ. Ukraine has committed make sure that this doesn’t happen”. Asked to comment on the itself to respecting its minorities Hungary will respect the outcome Romanian government’s decision to and ensuring them equal rights of Romania’s elections, the minister make economic support to ethnic and freedoms under the country’s said. Szijjártó urged ethnic Hungarians Hungarians conditional on a written association agreement with the EU to participate in Sunday’s elections, agreement between the two countries,

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Szijjártó said the government had paid leasing arrangements. Zsolt Láng close attention when devising the KARÁCSONY: BKV BUS accused BKV of planning to rent buses scheme to ensure that it is compatible RENTAL CONTRACT from an offshore company with a with international, European and ABOVE-BOARD single employee registered just a week Romanian law. “So I can safely say before the tender was announced. that the programme is in line with The Budapest transport company Tamás Leisztinger, the former partner Romanian, European and international BKV is not signing a bus rental of Tüttő, headed the company, he law,” the minister said. “It’ll create jobs contract with a company of dubious added. He called on Karácsony to take here, generate tax revenue for the background, Budapest Mayor Gergely swift action, “because if the leadership budget and contribute to economic Karácsony said on Wednesday, of the capital goes off in this direction growth here.” referring to allegations made by Fidesz ... the consequences would be very Kelemen said he and the foreign politicians. Karácsony said audits serious.” The company does not have minister had spent the day inspecting showed that public procurements any buses, Láng said, adding that with investment projects supported by the had been carried out in line with its offshore background, it would not Hungarian government. They also laid the relevant regulations, and the qualify for a public procurement a wreath at a recently inaugurated best offer was selected in an open tender in Hungary. Láng added that statue of Transylvanian Prince Gabriel procedure. Under a law brought in by his side was considering taking legal Bethlen, he said. Kelemen thanked the Fidesz government, no applicant action. Hungary’s ruling Fidesz-Christian can be excluded due to an offshore Meanwhile, Fidesz’s director of Democrat alliance for their support background, he said, adding, however communications István Hollik said and urged ethnic Hungarians to go that he had instructed metropolitan Karácsony’s statement had still left to the polls this weekend, saying that companies to exclude any offshore several questions around BKV’s there were no health risks involved in company from public procurements. contract unanswered. “The affair doing so. “It is right that BKV will not sign a is muddy but what we do know is Speaking about Hungary’s contract with any such company.” that we’re talking about a company economic development scheme “What’s even more important is that didn’t even exist when the geared towards Transylvania earlier, that all members of my team must tender was announced,” Hollik said Szijjártó said the government has be incorruptible and spotless,” the in a video on Facebook. He said the disbursed some 70 billion forints (EUR mayor added. Karácsony said he mayor’s statement in the matter raised 195.7m) among 6,000 local businesses, couldn’t judge the relationship further questions. Hollik said that generating 135 billion forints’ worth of between Deputy Mayor Kata Tüttő if it was true that BKV would not be investments. This year, the government and the father of her children. “But I signing a contract with the company contributed 20 billion forints to 53 know that she has never represented in question then it should be made major agricultural investments worth ... any interest other than those of the clear whether or not BKV had already a combined 40 billion forints, Szijjártó people of Budapest,” he said, adding signed a contract with it. “Does Gergely said. Seeing the scheme’s success, the that Tüttő was among Budapest’s most Karácsony even know what’s going on government has decided to disburse upstanding public servants. inside BKV?” Hollik said, adding that another 6.5 billion forints, he said, The head of Fidesz’s group in the “many are saying that this contract has adding that more than 50 agricultural Budapest assembly earlier called on been signed for weeks.” manufacturing companies have Karácsony to launch an investigation BKV said in a statement that applied for support. into transport company BKV’s bus although the public procurement

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procedure for renting six used buses an online press conference that the underlying illness, have died over the had been handled lawfully, the order came from same government past 24 hours, while 4,136 more virus contract had been cancelled. Having which “promotes itself” as being cases have been officially registered, reviewed the documentation on the dedicated to tax cuts. At the same koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday. public procurement procedure, BKV’s time, “we know that they have carried The total number of cases since supervisory board has determined out the most severe tax increases over the first outbreak in the country has that the entire procedure had been the past ten years,” he added, citing the risen to 225,209, while the death carried out in line with the relevant introduction of the flat tax rate which toll now stands at 5,142. Fully 65,888 laws as well as the company’s own resulted in higher taxes for low earners people have made a recovery. Active procurement regulations, BKV said. and the 27% VAT. infections number 154,179, while there However, an agreement signed with are 7,732 hospitalised patients, 649 on the winning bidder, CR-Facilities MEDICAL OFFICER: NEW ventilators. Fully 44,318 people are in Vagyongazdálkodó, on Oct 30 has HOSPITAL MONITORING official home quarantine, while the been cancelled and BKV will not be SYSTEM TO REDUCE LOAD number of tests carried out has risen signing further contracts with the to 1,850,230. company, it added. With a view to reducing the load on So far, most coronavirus cases have the health-care system, a new daily been registered in Budapest (47,985) FINMIN: LOCAL COUNCILS monitoring system is being put into and Pest County (29,124), followed by PROHIBITED FROM place showing the number of patients the counties of Győr-Moson-Sopron INCREASING TAXES NEXT and staff in each hospital, Cecília (14,593), Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén YEAR Müller, the chief medical officer, told (13,733) and Hajdú-Bihar (12,122). Tolna a press briefing. Müller said the aim (3,468) has the fewest cases. The government has ordered local was to flatten the epidemic curve councils not to increase local and and lessen the massive burden on the JUSTICE MIN: EU BUDGET, municipal taxes next year. Further, health-care system. Covid patients are IDEOLOGICAL ISSUES councils must not introduce any new currently being treated in 78 hospitals SHOULD BE KEPT tax or eliminate or reduce existing tax and all inpatient facilities are providing SEPARATE breaks, the finance ministry has said active care to Covid patients. To in a statement. The government’s aim distribute the burden more evenly, a European Union countries most in is to make life easier for Hungarian signalling system will be indicating on need of relief from the economic businesses and households struggling a daily basis where there is a shortage impact of the coronavirus crisis should to cope during the coronavirus of staff, she said. Müller said the be given financial aid as quickly as pandemic, the statement released government will decide next week on possible and ideological issues being late on Tuesday said. regulations for the Christmas period. linked to the bloc’s recovery package Opposition Párbeszéd in reaction should be discussed later, Justice accused the government of effectively CORONAVIRUS - 165 Minister Judit Varga told an online hobbling the operations of local FATALITIES, CASES discussion hosted by the Wacław councils by ordering them not to UP 4,136 Felczak Polish-Hungarian Cooperation increase local and municipal taxes or Institute on Tuesday. introduce any new taxes. Párbeszéd’s Fully 165 Covid patients, generally Varga, who on Sunday became the deputy group leader, Bence Tordai, told elderly and suffering from an first Hungarian to receive the institute’s

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Custos Virtutum award, said it was up “who refuse to fall in line”, say no to to the EU’s German presidency to find migration, support family policy and HUNGARY EXPORTS GROW a solution to the impasse in the debate envision a Christian European future 6.1% YR/YR IN SEPT on linking rule of law conditions to for the bloc. “They had to accept that the payment of EU funds. “We should we’re different,” Varga added. Hungary’s exports grew by an be open to every proposal but the annual 6.1% to 10.285 billion euros in ones that need to get Europe out SZIJJÁRTÓ: FDI September, while imports declined of the current difficult situation are TESTAMENT by 0.8% to 9.144 billion, according to those who got it there,” the minister TO ECONOMY’S VITALITY a second reading of data released by said. She said this was neither Poland the Central Statistical Office (KSH). The nor Hungary, arguing that the two In spite of ructions in the global trade surplus was 1.140 billion euros, up countries had been saying for years economy, Hungary is benefiting from from 477 million in the same month a that “values shouldn’t be conflated bumper foreign direct investments, year earlier. with political blackmail and economic Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign Hungary’s surplus in trade of matters shouldn’t be conflated with affairs and trade, said on Wednesday, machinery and vehicles reached 1.561 ideological games”. announcing a new investment by billion euros while the surplus in food, Hungary believes that member Continental Automotive Hungary. drink and tobacco products was 205 states in real trouble should be given Szijjártó told a news conference million. financial aid as quickly as possible, that the world’s second largest A 381 million euro deficit was Varga said. “And if we have ideological automotive supplier is installing posted in trade of manufactured disagreements, these should be 25.6 billion forints (EUR 71m) worth goods. debated later at other forums, on of new machinery in its Budapest and Trade with other European Union the basis of unanimity, among our Veszprém plants for the manufacture member states accounted for 78% of governments,” she added. Varga of a new generation of automotive Hungary’s exports and 71% of imports said she saw the essence of the electronics parts, thereby protecting during the month. budget debate in the EU becoming 4,127 jobs in the two cities. The For the period January-September, “exclusionary”. “It doesn’t tolerate government is providing a non- Hungary’s exports fell by 7.7% to a diversity of opinion,” the minister refundable grant of 7.7 billion forints 75.621 billion euros, while imports said. She said the EU currently had no to the company in connection with dropped by 8.2% to 71.956 billion, means to put pressure on countries the investment. with a trade surplus of 3.665 billion.

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