Hungary’s 2011 EU-presidency Discussed

Mr Navracsics said that the five-party working group will help coordinate the cooperation between the parliamentary parties and also between the Parliament and the government in the preparation for the country’s EU-presidency. The leader of the parliamentary group of Fidesz emphasized that the reason for such a five-party consultation was that no-one knew who would govern the country following the 2010 national elections. “It is important that the parliamentary parties agree upon a framework for cooperation in preparing for the EU-presidency in the first six months of 2011. It is also essential that the preparation can be based on a consensus of all parties involved”, added Mr Navracsics, emphasizing that it would be the governing party’s interest in 2011 to have completed a preparation process of which he had been a member all along.

Mr Tibor Navracsics said the presidency would require approximately 2000 meetings and conferences to be organized in Hungary, a task which is not only of serious diplomatic significance but one that would have extensive consequences for the entirety of Hungarian politics and society.

Following the consultation, Kinga Göncz, Minister of Foreign affairs said the cabinet would decide on the concept following the resolution of Committee of European Affairs next week. The minister said that meeting focused on the present structures’ capacity to handle the challenge of the presidency, also emphasizing the need for the Parliament’s ratification of EU’s reform treaty as soon as possible. The government, she added, will pass the document on 14 or 15, December. “We would be happy if Hungary could be among the first countries to ratify it. The December deadline is a prerequisite to this”, she declared.