Political parties comment 2020 budget bill – UPDATE

The government’s 2020 budget proposal includes “exceptionally large” family support funds, ruling Fidesz’s budget spokesman Erik Bánki said in the general debate of the bill on Wednesday.

Hungarian government submits 2020 budget bill to parliament

Fidesz

“This budget is not only for Hungarian families and businesses, it will also improve the lives of all Hungarians,” Banki said, highlighting tax cuts, less red tape and increased subsidies. He also noted that the bill aimed at covering public-sector spending from revenues.

The proposal “is fully in line with the goals and expectations of the Fidesz group,” he said.

Jobbik

The opposition Jobbik party’s Dániel Z. Kárpát insisted that the bill would benefit certain groups while providing nothing to others.

He said

Hungarians that had been “forced” to leave Hungary to find jobs in other counties.

A housing programme is needed so people returning to Hungary will not spend years saving up for a home, he said.

Z. Kárpát also criticised the government for failing to provide a final account of the previous budget, which he said would make hinder decisions on allocations for next year’s budget.

Socialists

According to the Socialists, the bill “is unjust and anti-future”. Socialist leader Bertalan Tóth said the government sought to “redistribute” some 2,200 billion forints, the difference between this year’s revenues and those of 2020, and “spend it on itself and associated circles” rather than on efforts to help the country close the gap with its neighbours.

The Socialists propose that 1,000 billion forints or more should be re-allocated to pensions, education, health, and welfare services, Tóth said.

He added that welfare services alone required 764 billion forints more than the proposed budget allocation.

Tóth insisted that the family benefit and maternity allowances “gyed” and “gyes” had not been raised since 2008 and he called for the former to be doubled and the other two tripled.