Ruling parties reject Jobbik proposals on constitutional bill

Budapest, October 25 (MTI) – The ruling Fidesz and KDNP parties on Tuesday rejected Jobbik’s recommended changes to the government-initiated constitutional amendment proposal in connection with EU migrant quotas, a Fidesz lawmaker said.

Fidesz and the Christian Democrats consider amending the constitution a national issue and are therefore open to proposals aimed at improving the bill currently on the table, Róbert Répássy told a news conference after a session of parliament’s justice committee. But he said the ruling parties had rejected two proposals tabled by Jobbik in connection with the bill, as Fidesz and KDNP believed those suggestions were submitted to “serve as exuces” for Jobbik to reject the government’s amendment proposal.

One of Jobbik’s proposals was to change the way parliament establishes the conditions under which foreigners can settle in Hungary so that such laws are passed with a two-thirds majority only, Répássy said. But Fidesz considered such a rule “pointless”, he said, arguing that the proposed constitutional amendment would clarify the conditions for foreigners settling in the country.

Regarding Jobbik’s other proposal, namely that the amendment proposal should ban foreigners from settling in the country in any form — including via the government’s residency bond programme — Répássy said Fidesz agreed with the general principle but would not give in to Jobbik’s blackmail. Jobbik’s proposal ties an economic question together with the issue of amending the constitution, Répássy insisted.

Source: MTI