Another step was to ensure that Hungary receives the resources it is entitled to
The proposals adopted in the parliament on Tuesday serve the purpose of the new disbursement as soon as possible: the Integrity Authority and the Anti-Corruption Working Group will be created, which will deal with OLAF measures and the expansion of social consultations. The amendments help to reach an agreement with the European Commission one by one, but the left did not support them.
The Hungarian government is making significant efforts to ensure that our country gets access to the resources of the recovery fund and the cycle until 2027 as soon as possible, which is why Brussels has not indicated so far due to the rule of law proceedings initiated against Hungary. THE according to negotiations, he received until November 19 that the Hungarian side should implement the legal act requested by Brussels,
and the Parliament has already started to amend the laws necessary for disbursing the money.
On Tuesday, the parliament decided, among other things, that the Integrity Authority for the protection of the EU’s financial interests will be established on November 19, and that the Anti-Corruption Working Group, which will carry out the proposal task, will be established by December 1 at the latest.
The task of the Integrity Authority will be to take action against fraud, conflicts of interest, corruption and other legal violations or irregularities in the case of EU financial support.
If an irregularity is suspected, this authority will take action and must even report the detected problem to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The president of the new authority and his two deputies will be appointed by the head of state for a six-year term until November 4, on the recommendation of the president of the State Audit Office.
The Anti-Corruption Working Group will be an independent analytical, proposing, commenting and decision-making body, with a total of 21 members: in addition to the President of the Integrity Authority, ten members will represent government actors, and ten members will represent state bodies.
The left continues to obstruct the disbursement of new funds, as 11 DK representatives and ex-Jobbiko Jakab Péter voted against the expected bills, while the politicians of MSZP, Párbeszéd and Mi Hazánk abstained.
The left has called the government on the costs of the new money several times so that they no longer obstruct the drawing of the funds, but it seems to be in vain. A few days ago, Justice Minister Judit Varga complained that the Hungarian left does not represent Hungary’s interests abroad either.
“In such a situation, the left does not even have a national minimum, representatives are not willing to participate in the protection of the Hungarian people“, he said.
Judit Varga: Forward-looking negotiations are taking place in Brussels on the disbursement of money due to Hungary
According to the minister, there is complete openness and a solution from the EU as well.
The parliament also adopted another important amendment, which enabled the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) to assist OLAF’s on-site inspections in Hungary. They also decided that, in the future, 90 percent of government legislative drafts will be subject to social consultation, and at least eight days will be provided for commenting on the drafts. Whether the prescribed social consultation really takes place is doubly opposed: in addition to the body that audits European subsidies, a government control body must also check whether the relevant minister has fulfilled the obligation. Failure to do so may result in a fine.
The in-laws also amended the law on freedom of information, so that requests for data in the public interest cannot cost hundreds of thousands. Pursuant to the new rule, the data provider cannot make the applicant pay the significant labor costs necessary to fulfill the request.
The Internal Audit and Integrity Directorate will be established in the work organization of the minister responsible for the use of European Union funds. Its director is appointed by the Prime Minister for four years.
Tálai: The Hungarian government is doing everything to reach an agreement with Brussels
Before the agenda on Tuesday, the representatives also talked about the withdrawal of EU funds from Brussels, the situation of teachers and the forint exchange rate in the Parliament.
The representatives – at the suggestion of the government – also decided that
they decide on the Constitutional Court examination of the previous day’s amendment of the Criminal Procedure Act, i.e. whether the new provisions are in line with the Basic Law.
Párbeszéd does not support the exceptional hearing of bills submitted for the rule of law debate
The Párbeszéd does not support the fact that the bills submitted for the rule of law debate are discussed by the parliament in an exceptional hearing – this was said by the leader of the party’s faction on Sunday.