Opposition Slams Orban For Forming Govt “Behind Closed Doors”

(MTI) – Hungary’s opposition slammed Viktor Orban for forming his government “behind closed doors” and by “sleight of hand” after the new cabinet ministers were sworn in on Friday.

Jozsef Tobias, the Socialist Party‘s acting group leader, told reporters it was worrying that it had taken two months to form the new government, which had been finalised “behind closed doors” just an hour before today’s parliamentary session. He accused Orban of sidestepping parliamentary controls “at his own pleasure”.

The co-leaders of the LMP party told a press conference that the new government would enjoy an unprecedented concentration of power both in the hands of Orban and his cabinet chief, Janos Lazar. Referring to Lazar, Bernadett Szel said “the least suitable person has been placed in the most powerful seat”. Lazar launched an “unprecedented attack” against independent sectors, the civil sector and the press, she added.

The Democratic Coalition vowed to mount “the fiercest opposition to the Orbanite world.” Ferenc Gyurcsany, the party’s leader, said in a statement that it “speaks volumes” that the government had been formed behind closed doors with almost no media presence, and it does not have a single female member.