Government, EC views no closer on Altus affair, says Lazar 

Brussels, June 2 (MTI) – The views of the government and the European Commission on a contract signed by the EC with Altus, a company owned by former prime minister and leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) party, Ferenc Gyurcsany, have moved no closer during talks on Tuesday, cabinet chief Janos Lazar said in Brussels.

Speaking after talks with EC director-general in charge of regional policy Walter Deffaa, Lazar said it was unacceptable that the company received a contract worth 5 million euros from the EC to check the utilisation of EU funding in Hungary.

The cabinet chief said the EC could not have taken into account requirements concerning impartiality and conflict of interest before awarding the contract, adding that it was only Altus that had to submit a statement about meeting the requirements.

“In my opinion the European Commission was not circumspect enough and made a grave error when it accepted the statement,” said Lazar, adding that Deffaa disagreed with and rejected his interpretation.

Lazar said he requested to view all the documents pertaining to the tender and asked the director-general to make the documents public, which Deffaa said had to be discussed with the Commission. Lazar said all voters and therefore the government had a right of access to this information.