HUNGARY,S PARLIAMENT: THE FALL 2006 AGENDA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUDAPEST 001498

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT PASS EUR/NCE MICHELLE LABONTE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM HU
SUBJECT: HUNGARY,S PARLIAMENT: THE FALL 2006 AGENDA


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Summary
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1. (U) The last plenary session of Parliament,s
&extraordinary8 summer sitting, which began May 16, was
July 24; now, the cabinet, the prime minister and Members of
Parliament are already making preparations for the autumn
session. While new items are certain to be added to the
political agenda of Parliament as the fall 2006 session moves
along, many action items will come under the rubric of the
continuing harmonization of Hungary,s legal structure with
European Union standards and expectations. This cable
examines the agenda for the fall, as recently laid out by
Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany.

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September
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2. (U) With President Solyom having called local elections
for the earliest date possible under the constitution,
Parliament will manage just one plenary session prior to the
vote on October 1. The purpose of that plenary session on
September 18 will be to debate the National Development Plan
(NDP),which will outline Hungary,s development goals for
the 2007-2013 EU budget period. The government is expected
to make details of the plan public in late July, after which
it will invite outside recommendations for modifications to
make before the all-out debate on September 18. (Note:
Although the local elections will not directly affect the
work of Parliament, all major parties will be in full
campaign mode, hence the limited September agenda for
Parliament.)

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October
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3. (U) According to the prime minister,s proposal to the
speaker of Parliament on July 24, MPs will kick off the
October session by discussing healthcare issues, particularly
the question of sterilization. Last November, the
Constitutional Court struck down the provisions of the Health
Act pertaining to sterilization, which limited the procedure
to women over 35 or with a minimum of three children. The
Court found the restrictions to be disproportionate
limitations on a woman,s liberty to choose and struck down
the regulation, which went out of force on June 1, 2006.
Currently, no legislation governs the issue, and the court
has enjoined Parliament to decide on a regulation scheme as
early as possible. Given the inherently controversial nature
of the issue, there has been significant debate over what the
new provisions should or should not allow. The governing
coalition has so far indicated that it favors more lax
provisions, while the conservative parties have indicated
their preference for strictly regulating access to the
procedure.


4. (U) Also in October, Parliament will discuss the legal
background of genetic engineering, along with regulations on
electronic communications, both in an effort to ensure
Hungarian regulations are fully compliant with European Union
standards. Further items on the agenda include debates on
corporate law, public procurement, and toxic materials as
well as a broader clean-up of existing legal and regulatory
language to reflect recent changes in government structure.
(Note: procurement is an issue of key interest for the
mission, and one in which we are formulating a joint approach
with other embassies. End note.)

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November
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5. (U) The November agenda will once again feature items
aimed at ensuring harmony with EU laws and regulations.
Items up for debate will focus on air, land and water
transport, fishing and agriculture, business advertising, as
well as privatization. As a package, laws will be introduced
to achieve more transparency in bank management, to harmonize
Hungarian legislation on money laundering with EU standards,
and to establish a more efficient consumer-protection
structure in Hungary. A modification of regulations on the
rights of the disabled will be debated; it will include plans
to ensure that those with handicaps have better access to
public services and buildings. Parliamentarians will also
consider giving legal status to the National Interest
Coordination Council. (Note: The National Interest
Coordination Council currently functions as the primary forum

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for coordination between the government, employers and
employees in labor-related questions; it studies the effects
of labor and tax laws on workers, as well as employment
figures.)

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December
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6. (U) In December, the last month of Parliament,s fall
session, Members of Parliament will review possible
amendments to agricultural laws, once again to ensure
conformity with European Union laws. With the same goal in
mind, the government will submit to Parliament a proposal
regulating the travel of foreigners to Hungary and their
residence in the country, and an item on the Schengen
Information System. The coalition plans to introduce a
package of laws to increase conformity with EU and UN
provisions on child protection, economy and terrorism.
December will also be when the coalition puts forth its
proposal for the 2007 budget. In addition, MPs will debate
laws on unemployment benefits and pensions (debate on the
latter will focus on modernizing early retirement rules).


7. (U) In this fall session, Parliament will have to fill the
position of the Chief Public Prosecutor, which it has been
unable to do since the previous Prosecutor,s term expired in
May. While it is President Solyom,s prerogative to nominate
the candidate, Parliament must approve it with a majority.
The President,s first candidate was rejected in June.

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Comment
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8. (SBU) Parliament,s fall session will coincide with two
politically important and sensitive events: the October 1
local elections and the October 23 fiftieth anniversary of
the 1956 Uprising. October,s local elections will follow
April,s national elections. Afterwards, the campaign-weary
Hungarian public will surely breathe a sigh of relief, as no
elections will then be in sight for two and a half years.
Many analysts say that will enable the MSZP-SZDSZ coalition
government better to focus on getting real work done. The
October 23 commemorations will surely throw political
differences into relief once again, but only for a short
time. The question will then be how MSZP,s popularity holds
up. That popularity has declined significantly since the
April elections, while the opposition parties have attempted
to exploit discontent with austerity measures.
WALKER