"Chances are fairly good that the leaders of Hungary's liberal Free Democrats (SZDSZ) will be willing to hold discussions with their Socialist counterparts, but the final decision will be made only on Friday. Local news portal index.hu learned on Wednesday that the only subject prominent officials of the SZDSZ would like to talk about is succession, the setting up of a caretaker “technocrat" government.
While SZDSZ will decide only on Friday whether they accept Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's proposal for talks to resolve the current standoff on tax issues, liberal sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there should be some kind of discussion between top party officials.
Gyurcsány announced on Tuesday that he would sit to the negotiating table with the Free Democrats, the former coalition partner of the Socialist Party (MSZP) to resolve the current tax gridlock and find a way to pass the 2009 Budget. His invitation comes after the SZDSZ on Saturday rejected the PM's tax proposals, saying these serve only Gyurcsány's survival rather than the country's interests.
Gyurcsány said earlier that if Parliament fails to pass his multi-year tax package of HUF 1,000-1,2000 bn and the 2009 Budet, he would step down.
According to Index's sources, the free dems do not even consider the proposed tax amendments a basis for talks, and the only issue they would be willing to discuss is a caretaker government. The PM left personal questions open on Tuesday, saying: “Everyone knows that for the sake of the country's governability and stability I do not regard any personal price too high."
Some believe the PM makes such statements only to buy time. They say he does not want to hear about a caretaker cabinet and instead he wants to create an impression that the SZDSZ is an “evil" party that would torment the people even more, while he - the great and wise “king" - would keep his humble citizens from harm's way."
Source: Portfolio Online Financial Journal
04.09.2008