Brussels, le 17/02/2012 (Agence Europe) -A s agreed, the Hungarian government sent its responses to the Commission on Friday 17 February, within the “deadline set”, according to a press release of the permanent representation of Hungary. On 17 January, the Commission opened infringement proceedings against Budapest regarding its reforms on the national bank, the data protection authority and retirement age for judges, and gave the country one month to respond. Brussels also asked for more general explanations on the independence of the judiciary and the situation of the media. Budapest has responded to all the questions asked of it, the press release continues.
The Commission will start its analysis upon receipt, which is likely to be the case during the day on Friday. According to the agency Reuters, in Budapest the deputy prime minister Tibor Navracsics has said that he is in any case already anticipating discussions on the law on the national bank, as Budapest refused to give a positive response to the Commission's request regarding the issues of salary-capping for the governor or the oaths taken by the members of the institution. “We hope that the Commission will be open to compromise”, Navracsics explained.
These discussions on the reforms of the Hungarian national bank are one of the conditions imposed by Commissioner Olli Rehn for EU and IMF loans to be granted to Budapest, as the Commission wished to reassure itself as to the full independence of the bank. The Orban government is focusing on a starter discussion regarding this loan in March, but this deadline could be extended by the legal analysis the Commission is now to start on the amendments proposed by Budapest.
Last week, one of the authors of the new Hungarian constitution, the EPP member of Parliament Josef Szajer, already indicated that the Hungarian government had agreed to review its law allowing a government representative to attend meetings of the committee of the national bank.
On the other dossiers, such as the data protection authority, the prime minister will not have the opportunity to call for the governor to be removed from his or her position, said Szajer. And regarding the retirement age for judges, brought down to 62 in the new reforms from 70 today, the law will be relaxed by setting in place exemptions to this rule for those who ask to continue their duties beyond this limit, but this option will be possible only on a case-by-case basis and not systematically. (SP/transl.fl)