Vona: EU wage union signature drive ‘mustn’t fall prey to political games’

Jobbik’s signature drive for a European wage union is a historic opportunity for Hungary and central and eastern European member states that “must not fall prey to the smear campaigns” launched by Jobbik’s political rivals, the opposition party’s leader said on Monday.

Jobbik’s political rivals, “fuelled by the sour grapes effect”, have been using “disinformation” to discredit the wage union campaign, Gábor Vona told a press conference in Gyöngyös, in northern Hungary.

Jobbik “is not promising overnight wage growth” with the initiative, nor is it asking Brussels to provide more money for raising wages, Vona said, adding that equalising wages throughout the European Union would not even require tax increases.

Vona said his party’s goal was to cement the principle of “equal pay for equal work” among the EU’s fundamental principles.

The European Commission approved a European citizens’ initiative prepared jointly by eight central and eastern European member states in May, giving them the green light to start gathering signatures. The countries participating in the campaign have one year to collect a total of one million signatures in support of the initiative. Jobbik launched its signature drive on August 20.