This could happen by the end of July and agreement could be reached by the end of October the latest, he said.
In a letter sent this week European Union commissioner for economic and monetary policy affairs Olli Rehn said that the European Commission has no objection to start negotiations once the central bank amendments were adopted, Varga said.
The ECB, which had reservations regarding the original amendments proposed by the government, said last week that the new amendments address most of its concern regarding central bank independence, Varga said.
Earlier last week, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde said that the Hungarian government's new amendments, together with the commitments on not appointing a third deputy central bank governor or a new Monetary Council member, fully satisfy the Fund's expectations, and once adopted by parliament, official negotiations on a financial assistance program can start.
