The opposition parties have accused the government of using the vaccine registration system for “data collection” and called on it to come up with a clear action plan to restart the country “instead of propaganda consultation”.
The Democratic Coalition (DK), Jobbik, LMP, Momentum, MSZP (Socialists) and Párbeszéd parties said in a joint statement on Thursday that the National Consultation survey, seeking the public’s opinion on issues regarding the reopening, is accessible at vakcinainfo.gov.hu, the website also used for vaccine registration.
The government “has made the vaccine registration system part of its election preparation”, the statement said.
Government ministers make major property purchases amid economic crisis
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As millions of Hungarians struggle with the financial fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and many workers, especially in the tourism and hospitality sectors, complain of little or no help from the government, generous state investments have been made into the government s favored businesses and industries: a chain of hotels owned by Hungary s richest man, Lőrinc Mészáros, received HUF 279 million (€784,000) in pandemic compensation from the state this month, after receiving HUF 17 billion (€48 million) in state aid last year for development of the business. (Mészáros is a personal childhood friend of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and is thought by critics to hold assets of the prime minister.)
Forbes Hungary has published its seventh annual list of Hungary’s 50 Richest. It is yet again topped by Viktor Orbán’s friend and close ally, construction mogul Lőrinc Mészáros, followed by OTP Bank Chairman and CEO Sándor Csányi.
The business magazine notes that despite the damaging effects of the pandemic, Hungary’s wealthiest had much worse years than 2020.
The assets of Hungary’s richest man, Lőrinc Mészáros, are estimated close to HUF 500 billion, despite the fact that his main company Opus Global, the backbone of his assets, greatly suffered from the effects of the first Covid wave.
Politicians have submitted their yearly asset declarations, with no major changes in comparison to one year ago. While the Prime Minister has no savings, Cabinet Chief Antal Rogán’s assets have further grown due to his invention. Former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány’s company Altus has had a worse year, while it seems a Jobbik politician owns the most properties, and according to the official asset decalaration, a young LMP politician is the wealthiest member of parliament.
Government and Fidesz politicians
Similarly to his last year’s declaration,
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán supposedly has no liquid assets, or savings at all, possessing only two properties: one in Budapest’s 12th district and one in his hometown of Felcsút. He repaid a further fraction of the loan taken out together with his wife in 2002, now owing HUF 882,000 (Eur 2,477).
The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has called on the government to stop “shamelessly rescuing oligarchs” and provide support to businesses “that genuinely need it” instead.
DK board member Olga Kálmán told an online press conference on Thursday that the government’s promises to help out businesses in tourism and catering were “blatant lies”. In reality “they essentially help only their own oligarchs.”
The Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) under the supervision of Antal Rogán has distributed 83.5 billion forints (EUR 230m) non-refundable state support and two-thirds of this went to ruling Fidesz oligarchs, she added.
The Hunguest Hotels chain linked to Lőrinc Mészáros has received a total of nearly 18 billion forints, a joint company of Mészáros and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s son in law István Tiborcz received nearly 12 billion forints, and Tiborcz’s former business partner received nearly 4 billion forints, Kálmán said.