Simicska has not been cleared

Lajos Simicska, formerly party treasurer, good friend and erstwhile college roommate of the Prime Minister took a public role only during the Orbán regime: for a short time, he was the chairman of the tax authority. The action called "long bytes night" also occurred during his term when, it is alleged, data were deleted or changed in the database of APEH (tax authority). Later, this could not be proved, but a number of suspicious and unlawful data queries could be detected. For this reason, criminal proceedings were initiated against an information officer.

In the nineties, companies belonging to Simicska's sphere of interest, including persons indirectly associated with Fidesz were phantomized by using the data of two foreign persons, Kaya Ibrahim and Josip Tot. The enterprises failed to pay a considerable amount of public dues and debt and then, they disappeared into the void. The action is mentioned as a classical example of company phantomisation even today. Although, in the opinion of professional circles, Simicska proved to be rather successful as head of the tax authority because the revenues increased, he himself admitted that he was sorely tried by the press attacks, therefore, he resigned and never returned to the public life.

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Simicska’s success on public procurements

Közgép (a building company owned by Hungarian tycoon Lajos Simicska) has a glorious story as it made a profit of HUF 3 billion last year. It is also interesting to consider how such an unknown company wins many tenders and gains access to EU funds. Közgép’s ownership structure is still not fully known. By chance, it has just been discovered that Közgép is owned by Simicska. It proves he has been successful in the private sector after leaving his former position as head of the national tax agency. Apart from his prosperous activity in the construction business he has also become a major player in the advertising market. The orders received by Simicska related companies total almost HUF 300 billion.

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Hungary GDP shrinks in first quarter 2012

Hungary's economy contracted by 0.7 percent in annual terms in the first quarter based on preliminary unadjusted data , the first fall since the last quarter of 2009, the Central Statistics Office (KSH) said on Tuesday. GDP adjusted for calendar effects was down 1.3 percent vs. +1.7 percent in Q411 and according to data adjusted seasonally and for calendar effects, economic output contracted by 1.5 percent  (vs. +1.7 percent).

Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 May 2012 21:15

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Welt Am Sonntag: Nádas is the favourite to receive the Nobel Prize for literature

According to the Welt am Sonntag, Péter Nádas is the favorite to receive the Nobel Prize for literature. Tilman Krause writes that Nádas’ novel, “Parallel Stories”, which first appeared on the Hungarian market in 2005, has a big chance to win the prize.

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Open letter by Professor József Majer

“I, as a private person having worked at the Teacher Training College, repeat: as a private person, can give the following information with regard to Ferenc Gyurcsány’s thesis: Our Dean, dr. István Gersedi was mistaken because, as I see, Ferenc Gyurcsány wrote his thesis from technology and not from biology. Namely, his tutor (dr. Dezső Rizner) was the head of the Department of Technology.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 02 May 2012 19:48

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Hungary’s ruling Fidesz and its oligarchs

József Ángyán, former Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, resigned  in January, claiming that “oligarchs” are gaining influence in Hungarian agriculture.

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News from the EU

Tabajdi: Do not narrow Hungarians rights in Romania!
Member of European Parliament (MEP) Csaba Tabajdi, also head of the Hungarian socialist delegation in the European Parliament (EP) turns to the leaders of the European Union. MEP Tabajdi said that the new social-liberal government in Romania, governing the country for not longer than two weeks, acts unfriendly towards minorities. MEP Tabajdi added that the new government was narrowing the ethnic achievements reached by both Hungarians and Romanians. He also added that the steps taken against minorities will neither strengthen Romania’s internal peace nor the co-habitation of the Romanian majority and the Hungarian national minority in Romania, nor the stability of the Central-European region.

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Phone companies urge Hungary government to withdraw new telecom tax

As part of a fiscal overhaul program, the government has proposed several taxes, including the voice-traffic levy, in a bid to hit budget deficit goals of 2.5% of gross domestic product in 2012 and 2.2% of GDP in 2013. The government hopes the new taxes will generate 30 billion forints ($133.6 million) this year and HUF52 billion next year. The planned voice-traffic tax is HUF2 a minute with monthly upper limits set at for HUF700 household consumers and HUF2,500 for corporate customers.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 07:21

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This is what they say – Hungary in the international press

Political, social turmoil worries Hungary’s Jews
The debate over anti-Semitism in Hungary has sharpened since the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish and anti-Roma (Gypsy) Jobbik movement entered Parliament two years ago as the country’s third largest party.
Seeking scapegoats and channeling paranoia at a time of severe economic, social and political woes, Jobbik’s lawmakers regularly -- and loudly -- spout xenophobic, anti-Roma, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Last Updated on Monday, 14 May 2012 07:37

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The Fidesz connection in the thesis-case

The Director General of Education of the University of Pécs, the person who is responsible for safeguarding the thesis is also a local Fidesz local official in the Municipality of Pécs.

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