Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announces long-predicted changes in his government on public radio.

Mihály Varga will replace Tamás Fellegi as Hungary's chief negotiator with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the EU from 1 June. Mr. Varga is currently Minister of State at the Prime Minister's Office and Vice-president of Fidesz, and was Finance Minister from 2001 to 2002 under the previous Orbán government.

Mr. Orbán justified the decision by saying that Mr. Fellegi has completed the work assigned to him. ‘He has accomplished a very difficult task, and I am grateful for the work he has done. The whole country owes him a debt of gratitude: in the midst of a barrage of opposition he brought us to a position in which we are able to begin negotiations with the IMF and the EU on expansion of financial options open to Hungary,’ said the Prime Minister. Mr. Orbán believes that the political aspect of this task is complete, negotiations will commence, and now there is a need for a specialist in economics.

János Lázár – currently leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group – will become Minister of State for the Prime Minister's Office, where he will joined by a further two ministers of state. Antal Rogán, Mayor of Budapest’s city-centre fifth district and chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs, will replace Mr. Lázár as the leader of the 226-strong Fidesz parliamentary group.

Next week Zoltán Balog – up until now Minister of State for Social Inclusion – will start work as the new Minister for Human Resources.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)