Brussels, 20/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 20 December, the Hungarian parliament passed an austerity budget for 2012. Hungary is currently negotiating a loan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The budget was approved by a wide majority of 255 to 48 (the ruling conservative Fidesz party has two-thirds of the seats). The budget forecasts lacklustre growth of 0.5% (rather than 1.5% as forecast in September this year) and average inflation of 4.2% (compared with the 3.9% expected for this year).
Viktor Orban, the conservative prime minister, had made cutting the debt his flagship policy, aiming to reduce the public deficit to 2.5% of GDP next year, below the 3% maximum set in the Maastricht Treaty. The reduction in the growth forecasts and the recent fall in the forint, Hungary's currency, have led to a €1.07bn hole in the initial forecasts and therefore new austerity measures. (LC/transl.fl)