The Socialists' Difficult Legacy

In an interview he gave to the National News Agency Corporation (MTI), the parliamentary group leader of Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Union said he was sure that the next government would have to face the "difficult legacy" of the outgoing socialist cabinet. Tibor Navracsics noted that the exact details of this legacy will only be known after the elections. He made no secret of Fidesz's aim of "changes" in the public administration.

Created: 10th September, 2009 16:10	print	send

Speaking of the upcoming parliamentary debate of the budget for fiscal year 2010, Navracsics said the parliamentary group of Fidesz had no intentions of handing in an alternative budget proposal because "this would make no sense since the majority would turn it down in all cases". He also gave voice to his skepticism regarding the optimism voiced by international financial institutions concerning the state of the Hungarian economy, noting that there were previous examples when these international bodies showed trust for the cabinet's claims about the economic conditions only to learn afterwards that the government provided them with false data and information. "We are afraid that as we get closer to the elections the socialists are returning to their tactics of concealing the real figures for unemployment or the state of the economy", Navracsics said.

Asked whether it was beyond question that Fidesz would win the next elections the parliamentary group leader said "no", reminding that elections were to be held a good six months from now. "If we work hard, a year from now, Hungary's prime minister will be called Viktor Orbán", Navracsics recalled the words he said in June at the 23rd congress of Fidesz. Speaking of the first measures the Fidesz-led government would take, the parliamentary group leader declared that scrapping the property tax, introduced by the incumbent socialist cabinet led by Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai, would be one of the priorities.

"We have enough time to finish our election manifesto, our experts are working on the public policy plans", stated Navracsics, concerning the election preparations of Fidesz. With respect to the party's candidate for prime minister, Navracsics said Fidesz "needn't have worries, party chairman Viktor Orbán had no challenger for the post".

Asked about Fidesz's reactions in case extreme rightwing Jobbik party reached the 5 percent threshold at the next elections, Navracsics responded: "the same applies to MSZP: if Fidesz wins the next elections, both the socialists and the extreme right will be opposition parties."

(fidesz.hu)