Hungary's government has adopted a two-year programme on preventing corruption in central government institutions, Bence Retvari, the state secretary for public administration, said on Thursday.
The government has adopted the Ministry of Rural Development's proposal on illegal land purchasing. The Minister of Rural Development promised swift and effective action regarding so-called pocket contracts.
At the Government spokesperson's press conference on Thursday, Sándor Fazekas stated that the Government had declared war on speculators: they have formed a committee to filter out suspect land purchase contracts.
In December 2011-February 2012 the dynamic increase of the number of employees has continued in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous year – the Central Statistics Office (KSH) reports. The number of employed aged 15-74 has increased substantially, more than in the previous period, by 51 000 to 3 million 794 thousand from 3 million 743 thousand a year before and thus the rate of employment rose to 49.5 percent. Among the population aged 15-64 years the number of employed increased by 50 000 to 3 million 761 thousand from 3 million 711 thousand a year before and thus the rate of employment rose to 55.8 percent.
On 27 March Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration and Justice Tibor Navracsics addressed the 12th annual general meeting of the Hungarian Association for Innovation, (Magyar Innovációs Szövetség). He said that the Government must support innovation and pioneering inventions must be built into the system – otherwise inventors might take their economically important innovative talents abroad, where they can be better rewarded.
"In 2011, Hungarian exports to Serbia increased by 38 percent compared to the previous year, exceeding 50 million Euros, while at the same time imports from our southern neighbour grew by 50 percent" – said State Secretary for Agricultural Economy György Czerván at the Serbian-Hungarian Economic Summit in Kalocsa.
Sándor Fazekas holds talks with his Brazilian counterpart Jorge Alberto Mendes Ribeiro Filho, Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
At its last meeting the Government approved of the submission made by the Ministry of National Development on the identification of for priority transport security project proposals in action plans, Deputy State Secretary for Transport Zoltán Schváb reported during the signing of the related support contract for Állami Autópálya Kezelő Zrt. (ÁAK) on 27 March, 2012 in Budapest. In acknowledgement of the significance of this unprecedented transport security programme, a decision was made to allocate HUF 38 billion on the aggregate for launching railway and public road infrastructure programmes to prevent accidents causing personal injuries.
In this week’s two-day sitting, the Hungarian parliament will consider the following bills: the proposed cardinal Act on Parliament; the amendment to the cardinal Act on the Organisation of Courts and the Judiciary (in the light of the Venice Commission’s comments); amendment to the cardinal Act on Data Protection (in the light of the European Commission’s recommendations); and the proposed resolution on government measures to curb excessive domestic debt from foreign currency denominated loans.
Hungary and Canada are the depository states of the Treaty on Open Skies; the 20th anniversary of its signing and the 10th anniversary of its entering into force are celebrated this spring. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence emphasise the significance of the successful operation and the unimpeded implementation of the treaty on this occasion as well. Joint Statement of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence.
With the introduction of a new system called ÉTDR building permit application process will be significantly faster which is important from the citizens’ and authorities’ points of view – emphasized Péter Szaló Deputy State Secretary for Area Management and Construction of the Ministry of Interior on the press conference of the new system.
Interior Minister Sándor Pintér held negotiation in Vienna with Austrian Federal Minister of the Interior Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic on common fight against illegal migration.
Commemorations were held in Japan and worldwide to remember the victims of the powerful earthquake and the ensuing devastating tsunami striking Japan on 11 March 2011.
On 20 March 2012 Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi paid an official visit to Bucharest. He participated in discussions with Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu and was received on a courtesy visit by Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu and Head of the Senate Vasile Blaga. János Martonyi attended a meeting with Hunor Kelemen, President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) as well.
Minister of State for Development Policy Coordination Ágnes Molnár participated in the consultation of heads responsible for cohesion policy in the Visegrád countries and Slovenia on 22 March 2012 in Prague. During the meeting the parties accepted a joint statement on their position regarding the proposed regulation package on the future of cohesion policy.
The Transport Council discussed the draft regulation on trans-European transport network development in the first reading. Member State ministers for transport approved of a general approach on the draft on 22 March 2012 in Brussels. The proposed regulation, which is of outstanding significance for Hungary as well as the Central European region for both transport policy and economic considerations, sets out the directions of developing the European Union’s transport network up to 2050. Once the issues previously giving reason for concern had been reassuringly settled, the Hungarian delegation headed by Minister of State for Infrastructure Pál Völner voted for the approval of the general approach.
In an interview given on Bavarian public television, PM Viktor Orbán said that before the last change of government, Hungary was in a more difficult situation than Greece, but that in the future, it will be a model for others, thanks to the Government’s reform policies, and the ability of Hungarians to regain their footing.
The experience our soldiers gain in mission areas can be put to good use in the interest of territorial defence, the armed defence of the Homeland”, said Dr. Csaba Hende on March 20. The Minister of Defence attended in Szolnok the “Welcome Home” ceremony for the 11th rotation of the HDF Provincial Reconstruction Team (HUN PRT-11) and the farewell ceremony for the troops to deploy with the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
According to the latest flash report of the Central Statistical Office, on the basis of data adjusted for calendar effects, in January 2012 the volume of retail sales was higher by 0.6 percent in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous year. This figure places Hungary among the twelve EU member countries which registered growth compared to the first month of 2011.
The National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) together with its partner institute, the French National School of Administration - Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA), the Budapest French Institute (BFI) and the French Embassy in Budapest organised a joint conference with a programme to focus on giving a better understanding of the current public administration reforms in both countries.
Hungarian-French Conference Entitled “Modernisation Of Public Administration: Public Service Training Challenges in France and Hungary” was hosted by the Budapest French Institute on 21 March 2012.
The refurbishment of the Castle Bazaar and the royal gardens of the Buda Castle may begin this autumn. The Danube Bank side of the Buda Castle, a world heritage site, the so-called Castle Bazaar may finally be refurbished after decades of decay. This reconstruction project is one of the top priority projects of the Government. The refurbishment of the monument situated in the very heart of the capital, a sight that greatly determines the panoramic view of Budapest, is of particular significance also from a tourism point of view and for the entire national economy.
26 Hungarian companies brought home 142 medals, including 18 gold, from the Destillata International Fruit Sprits Competition, the largest competition of its kind in Central Europe, held in Tyrol, Austria. The awards from the competition, held in March, were presented to Hungarian producers and distillers in Budapest by Wolfgang Lukas, Managing Director of Destillata, State Secretary for Rural Development Zsolt V. Németh, and Mrs. Gábor Panyik, President of the Hungarian Pálinka Distillers' Guild Association.
Good figures are emerging: in 2011 real wages increased substantially by 6 percent
The European Commission should include in a report due out in April a detailed assessment of each member's Roma strategy instead of a general and concise assessment of the Roma inclusion strategy in Europe, the Hungarian state secretary for social inclusion said on Thursday.
On of the gravest issues of Hungary is low employment rate. While the rate of employment in several segments of social groups which are active in the economy is around the EU average, there are a number of well-definable focal points where we have been lagging behind the EU. Such groups include the 50+ generation, career starters, the unskilled or young women with little children. Furthermore, regional differences are also huge in the country.