The Parliament Budgetary and Economic Committee will interview the Prime Minister's candidate to head the National Bank of Hungary on Friday afternoon, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on commercial news channel HírTV.

"There is a good chance that the new Governor will perform better than the previous one," Prime Minister Orbán said adding, without naming his candidate for the post, who could replace András Simor next Monday, that he had been "making preparations for the right decision for a very long time".
He stated that the European Commission's forecast of Hungary's budget deficit surpassing 3% of GDP would not impose any burden on the country. "Hungary has approved a budget for this year. This is what we will implement," he said. What is more, similar disputes with Brussels have so far ended with Hungary's success, he pointed out.

The budget is viable and the cabinet has no reason for amending it, the Prime Minister emphasised, adding that with merely two months into the year, it would be unwise to make major changes in fiscal policy.

Prime Minister Orbán said that the Government had never accepted the EU's proposals for austerity measures, pointing out that he does not want to burden the public with further taxes. Concerning the Hungarian economy's falling into recession in 2012, he emphasised that the euro area was suffering from a second crisis and Hungary could not sell as many of its products at previous price levels, as before. He added, however, that "the country is now working under different principles" which would provide a good basis for tangible economic growth in 2013. The Prime Minister also highlighted that there is a good chance that, based on the economic results of the first six months of the year, the Government will be in a position to launch programmes to further boost employment.

In his interview, the Prime Minister also reiterated that he did not plan to reshuffle his Cabinet.

(Prime Minister's Office)