Opposition parties initiate referendum

At a Fidesz rally in Central Budapest on Monday, party head Viktor Orbán told some 100,000 supporters that Fidesz and KDNP would submit a motion for referendums on education, health care, pensions, farm land and the accountability of government officials. At a press conference on Tuesday, Navracsics read out the referendum questions Fidesz-KDNP had submitted to the National Election Committee.

The questions are:
“Do you agree that students in the state-subsidized higher education system should not have to pay tuition fees?"
“Do you agree that health care institutions and hospitals should remain under state or municipal ownership?"
“Do you agree that no visit fee should be charged for GPs' and dentists' services and services given to outpatients at hospitals?"
“Do you agree that medicines should only be sold at pharmacies?"
“Do you agree that pensioners should be allowed to work under the regulations in effect on October 23, 2006?"
“Do you agree that family farmers should have a preemption right when buying farm land under regulations in force from June 15, 2005 under Act LV/1994?"
“Do you agree that parliament should pass legislation to regulate, in addition to disciplinary and compensation liability, the special objective responsibility of the prime minister and members of the government for budget overshoots?"

Navracsics said six months after this spring's parliamentary elections, when voters made their decisions without getting real information on the government parties' programs, it is justified to ask what they would decide now. After Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's speech admitting that he had lied to win re-election was leaked, Fidesz promised that it would use all constitutional means to find a solution, Navracsics said. However, the government majority refuse to even talk about proposals submitted by Fidesz and KDNP, he said. This situation has forced the opposition parties to find constitutional means that do not violate the basic rules of democracy but at the same time tackle the difficulties caused by the parliamentary majority's rejection of proposals, Navracsics added.