"Socialist chairman Attila Mesterházy called on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to cut short his summer holiday and convene a cabinet meeting to discuss the unfolding economic crisis. Mesterházy urged Orbán to sign a new agreement with the Banking Association and hold further talks with representatives of debtors and local councils.He suggested that revenues from the banking tax should be spent on crisis management and establishing a crisis fund.
As the crisis affects Hungary particularly severely, the cabinet must come up with an emergency scenario to respond to economic difficulties, Mesterházy said.
Jobbik chairman Gábor Vona proposed that parliamentary party leaders hold talks to address the foreign currency crisis next week, adding that he will recommend the convening of a special House session.
Politics Can Be Different (LMP) MP Gábor Vágó told reporters that his party has asked Orbán to immediately convene a crisis council meeting to save Hungary’s mortgage holders.
LMP wants the cabinet to suspend and renegotiate its earlier agreement with the Banking Association, and to involve organisations that defend the interests of foreign exchange mortgage holders in the negotiations.
No cabinet meeting is scheduled for this week, as several members are on leave, including Economy Minister György Matolcsy, Development Minister Tamás Fellegi and deputy prime minister Tibor Navracsics.
Government communications state secretary Zoltán Kovács told Népszabadság that there is no need to convene a special cabinet meeting, but said Orbán is in contact with Matolcsy and other ministers.
The Hungarian cabinet has no means at its disposal to influence the strengthening of the Swiss franc, Kovács added."
Source: Hungary Around the Clock
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15.08.2011