According to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, there will be an agreement between the Hungarian government and the International Monetary Fund, but not based on the conditions that were revealed on Thursday. This is why the cabinet is elaborating alternative IMF/EU negotiation positions – he added on Kossuth Radio's 180 minutes program.

The Prime Minister declared that the EU had discussed the situation of Hungary, and the EU part of the IMF/EU negotiation delegation had submitted a report about the Hungarian discussion to the financial and economic committee of the community. This document includes a very important and positive statement: it acknowledges that Hungary needs a precautionary agreement instead of money – he added.

In his opinion, naturally it is good if a country functions with less and less deficit, but what matters is how this is achieved, emphasizing that the IMF/EU agreement is significant. He added that such an agreement will be brokered, but not on this basis, so the cabinet will work on an alternative IMF/EU negotiation position in the next 7-10 days.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister pointed out that the cabinet is in a good position regarding the implementation of an important goal, namely leading the country out of the debt trap. State debt is falling and the cabinet has offered help to hundreds of thousands of people who hold debt in foreign currency, adding that the other great task, the creation of workplaces, is also in progress, and for instance public works are advancing in an exceptionally successful way, so it is not true that people are lazy. Viktor Orbán named the workplace protection action plan the most important task related to the autumn session stating that the Hungarian budget has the necessary sources to cover the expenses.

The Prime Minister indicated that he is scheduled to speak in Parliament on Monday, outlining the most important tasks ahead.

Referring to the extradition of Ramil Safarov, Viktor Orbán declared that Hungary not only acted in good faith, but it complied with European legal traditions, instructions, culture and norms, also adding that this story is not about Hungary, this is not our conflict and is not a question of national interest. Hungary may be proud that the government pursues a transparent and commonly known jurisprudence.

Viktor Orbán expressed his view that Hungarian politics has started a new era – „we are a global nation” – tens of thousands of Hungarians live throughout the world, so we have to find new solutions so that everyone may practice their right to vote, one of which could be prior registration. In his opinion this will increase participation in elections rather than reducing it. He also stated that all experts are agreed that it must be a system in which only those living in Hungary will be obliged to participate.

In addition, the Prime Minister mentioned that they are considering the proposal put forward by the "Politics Can Be Different" party (LMP) recommending that the nomination of candidates should occur without collection of recommendation coupons, adding that the best solution will be chosen from the many options available. The Prime Minister also added that the Hungarian Socialist Party's suggestion introducing compulsory election participation is an issue that the government may not sympathise with, but which it views as an open question which will be discussed in Parliament.

(Prime Minister’s Office)