Hungary maintains good relations with the European Union and there are continuous coordination talks despite some disputes over regulations affecting the retirement of judges, Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics told Hungarian News Agency MTI in an interview.

After Hungary's Constitutional Court had annulled the law on reducing the retirement age for judges from 70 to 62 in July, a proposal submitted in September has been also revoked in order to take into consideration a November ruling by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg which stated that Hungary's law on the early retirement of judges was discriminatory, Deputy Prime Minister Navracsics said.

With the help of regular coordination talks with the European Commission, Hungary is determined to introduce regulations that will be acceptable to all, he added.

Commenting on rulings by the European Court of Human Rights that stated Hungary had been wrong to fine people for wearing the red star, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that the Government is guided by a Constitutional Court decision from several years ago which stated that it was in line with the constitution to sanction the wearing of the red star.
He stated that he would personally never comment on a Constitutional Court decision, when asked about Speaker László Kövér's recent statement regarding the ruling on transitional provision.

Corruption in Hungary has been on the decline, as reflected by a recent Transparency International report which showed Hungary improving its position in European comparison, Deputy Prime Minister Navracsics said, adding that discussions with international businesspeople have also reflected that positive developments are under way.

Commenting on the view that party financing and public procurements are the two main areas where the threat of corruption is most relevant, he said the Fidesz group had decided that parties would need to reach an agreement about party financing in order to introduce new regulations, adding that the regulation of public procurements is in the authority of the Ministry of National Development.

(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)