The minority governing Socialist Party's campaign before next year's European Parliamentary elections should focus on issues concerning community norms rather than domestic affairs, Laszlo Kovacs, EU tax commissioner, told MTI on Friday.

The Socialist Party (MSZP) will have good chances at the elections if the image of a party efficiently representing national interests in line with European norms is communicated, Kovacs suggested.

In 2004, MSZP won nine EP seats, which was seen as a disaster by some party leaders, Kovacs noted. He added, however, that nine mandates would now be a good result.

On another subject, Kovacs said that the European Commission had decided on granting Latvia a similar aid package as it had provided to Hungary. Romania and Bulgaria have also applied for community aid and two other Baltic countries may come up with a request, too, Kovacs said.

EU members may be granted assistance from a 25 billion euro pool, of which Hungary has received 6.5 billion euros, the commissioner noted.