Hungary's government will forward a cash transfer of 27 billion forints to state health-care institutions by the end of the year, Miklos Szocska, the state secretary for health, said on Thursday.

Szocska told a press conference the money could be used towards reducing debt and "making pay changes" in order to maintain jobs at health-care facilities.

He added that he hoped doctors would not act on their threat to activate thousands resignation letters currently put on hold until January in a coordinated protest campaign, but he added that the government was prepared for any contingency.

Leaders of the Hungarian Residents' Association attended the press conference and were invited by Szocska for closed-doors talks afterwards.

(MTI)