Government policy over the past six months has failed to go beyond meeting conditions for international loans, head of main opposition Fidesz’s parliamentary group Tibor Navracsics told MTI in an interview on Sunday.
Assessing the past six months, Navracsics said the government’s policies have “completely fallen apart”. Lacking direction, the government’s policy was merely to comply with the conditions of loans it had drawn from the IMF and the EU, Navracsics added. This is what has lead to parliament’s deep popularity loss among voters, he added.
Navracsics said that another reason for distrust in politicians is perhaps the situation in both elections over the past eight years. Election results of the two main parties were so close, near one percent, that voters could easily interpret the political arena as a “stalemate,” he added.
Navracsics said Fidesz supported the idea of holding national elections on April 11 next year. They were also in favour of a short, three-week campaign period, though he said that “from February, the country is likely to gradually shift into campaign mode.”
He said his party was not planning to set up a shadow government, but confirmed press reports of Fidesz’s idea to streamline the government structure into “super ministries”, if it wins elections. However, this is only one of the scenarios and there is also another “that complies more with the traditional Hungarian system,” he added. A final decision will only be made after the election results are available, Navracsics said.
As I understand the Hungarian Government did not draw the last of the agreed loans, meaning it seems to have done a bit more than just meeting the payment conditions.
To not take out the last loan made Hungary lessen the total debt-burden, probably meant also that less money could be spent on vote-winning extravaganzas, which Fidesz traditionally has been addicted to (2000-2002).
On the other hand Navracsics is probably on the spot in his evaluation of the political fallout of the restricted state spending and the “stalemate”.
The sooner the current MSZP government is washed down the plughole along with all their cant, hypocrisy, and corruption the better.
“Bajnai won’t draw down any further installments of the loans from the IMF/EU.” Why? Because the money disappears faster than you can say “Gyurcsany Ferenc”.. without anyone having a clue how it has been spent.
Andras Simo, MNB governor, was said to have bought forint with the euro-loans in order to strengthen the forint. Big mistake!
Simor was reported as, at one stage, “having all his savings in a Cyprus bank.”
That should instill confidence in us all?!
Because the money disappears faster than you can say “Gyurcsany Ferenc”.. without anyone having a clue how it has been spent
MiltonKeynes at December 28, 2009 2:12 PM
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In the loan agreement there were stations of reporting to be met before the next part of the loan could be drawn.
Can you show any reports from the EU/IMF that supports your interpretation?
Not even Fidesz is claiming this any more and they do have the best international contacts of us both.
Viking:I don’t care if you believe my unsubstantiated claims or not.
Nor do I give anymore credibility to what Orban Viktor and Fidesz might say on the issue. Rather, I think I could find more accurate, and interesting information, from the posters/postings on this here website about many subjects. (Not just this one).
You, on the other hand, my dear Viking, probably believe everything you read in the newspapers and what you hear from government spokesmen and opposition rhetoric.
Andras Simor bought bucket loads of forint with the euro loan= FACT.
There are no visible/tangible signs that the loan money (wherever it went) has helped to improve Hungary’s social and economic problems. In the real word, especially in Hungary -people are struggling to pay their fuel bills, home loans, education fees etc. etc.
My main complaint is that Hungary has squandered some great opportunities over the last two years. This is a cardinal sin. Put it down to, corruption, bad government, inefficient bureaucracy or, all three. I know I do!
There are no visible/tangible signs that the loan money (wherever it went) has helped to improve Hungary’s social and economic problems
JMKeynes at December 28, 2009 7:29 PM
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Is this a question that can be answered?
What would the criteria be for an improvement of Hungary’s social problem?
Increasing subsidies for Gas and electricity would maybe improve Hungary’s social problems until next election, but was that not what Hungary learned after the 1980s and then again took consequences of in the Bokros-regime (1995-1998)?
I think the loans came with a big NO-NO for that type of expenditures.
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The economic problems some stats can be published during next year valid for 2008-10, but where the loans really to *improve* the economic problems or was it to stop it from going downwards even further?
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If you on the other hand mean that major reform to change the tax system etc, then it has not been any real political majority for that. Fidesz would never had supported anything, so what would any loans have done?
The loans were not given for ‘Nation-Building’, they were given for acute crises when the international credit system took a tour down-wards.
Viking you’re a Pratt!! Who in their right mind has to answer to a wanker like yourself!
Viking you’re a Pratt!! Who in their right mind has to answer to a wanker like yourself!
Law at December 28, 2009 9:41 PM
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How do your post further the discussion and help people get a better understanding?
Also JMKeynes posted this before you:
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Viking:I don’t care if you believe my unsubstantiated claims or not.
JMKeynes at December 28, 2009 7:29 PM
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The 2 of you recognise each other as good bed-fellows:
- All main-media is bad
- Only info from sites which supply non-mainstream info is good.
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So what are the two of you doing here then?
This is a typical mainstream media site dedicated to Hungarian Politics, which sometimes does not seam to be so main-stream.
If you want fiction on Hungarian Politics you all know where to go.
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Then I really do not understand why publish anything on a public site if you cannot handle the challenge to have your views questioned?
You’re no challange because of your biased views, closed minded Neo liberal character.. You behave as if we only have just met, you have a history of bagging Hungarians and truthseekers.
You’re part of the smear campaign to destroy Hungarian morals and ethics. Go away and don’t answer to me anymore, i told you many times i don’t respond to scum like yourself, is this CLEAR!!!!!
is this CLEAR!!!!!
Law at December 29, 2009 9:12 AM
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No, could you make it a bit more explicit?