Prime Minister Viktor Orbán mentioned pay rises for general practitioners and teachers, and the launching of a population programme as important tasks for the upcoming period, on Kossuth Radio's 180 minutes.

In the radio interview, the Prime Minister commented the latest GDP figures, saying that the 2012 wave of the economic crisis had been successfully averted and the whole world now acknowledged that Hungary is performing better. However, enabling everyone who wants to make a living from work to find a suitable job and maintain a good standard of living for themselves and their families, remains an important objective.

Viktor Orbán also indicated that income from economic growth would be put towards implementing non-austerity measures recommended by the European Union. If the EU insists that budget figures must be further improved, increasing taxes on banks and multinational companies, or perhaps even the transaction tax, is a possibility.

In addition, the Cabinet would like to improve the situation of doctors with general practices and also plans to launch the teacher career model programme within the next year.

Plans also include the launching of a population programme so that in 25-30 years’ time we can be sure that the country will not be diminishing, but instead growing.

Viktor Orbán declared that he is not prepared to introduce the austerity measures that the EU has asked for, meaning that minimal wage and pension increases will stay in place, the Government will not increase the level of income tax, and it will also not revoke the reduction of utility costs.

The Prime Minister rejected the claim that decisions regarding the tobacconist tender had been made on a political basis. The Government will not delay the scheduled signing of contracts, and the tender conditions and the identities of the adjudicators will be made public after these agreements have been concluded.

(Prime Minister’s Office)