In brief

Lead


Airport strikes again?

Still no agreement has been reached between Budapest Airport (BA) and the trade union; it is possible that the strike will continue, according to the Trade Union of Airway Transportation (LESz).
The representatives of the airport and LESz restarted their negotiations on January 7.
Only one point out of five submitted by the union is being discussed, said Attila Csorba, chairman of LESz. It is possible that the union will decide to continue the strike, since in Csorba’s opinion, the agreement on the collective contract could have already been reached since December 22, but it is not in the interest of Budapest Airport. It is also supported by the fact that BA plans to employ more Greek strike-breakers, added Csorba.
The trade unions seem to be cooperating in reaching an agreement in negotiations, but they always speak differently to the media, said Domokos Szollár, spokesperson of Budapest Airport.

(Photo: József Süveg)


New political season

The political season for governing MSzP starts with a two-day countryside board meeting on January 14 and 15. The party's directive board will discuss political strategy, government duties, the preparations for the European parliamentary elections and matters related to the election of party officials in March.
The Socialist party starts the year in the new headquarters in Jókai utca. The official date of the opening of the new party building is the end of January but the moving started in the end of last month. MSzP sold the former Köztársaság tér headquarters in 2006 and bought the new building in 2007.


In the center of APEH attention

This year the Hungarian tax authority (APEH) will pay special attention to those who try to minimize their taxes, the black-labor employers and the computer component traders. Transfer prices will be closely inspected too, said the chairman of APEH to Hungarian state news service, MTI.
According to the new mid-term strategy of APEH if there is a large margin by direct avoidance of tax duties the inspection can be spread to the owners and the representatives of the company, to their business relations and partner companies.
Tax payer duties will be made easier by the simplified tax forms, the introduction of the list of taxpayers with no public dues and the publication of the inspecting and penalty handbook.


Ibolya Dávid on EP list

The Hungarian Democratic Forum, MDF, has started preparing for the European Parliamentary election taking place this summer. At the party’s weekend board meeting, on January 3, it emerged that current chair Ibolya Dávid might be included on the EP list. “There is a 50% chance for this. But it is a decision strictly based on professional aspects and not on inside political interests, MDF board director Zsolt Makay said to Népszabadág.
According to many members of MDF, the name Ibolya Dávid is like a brand-name for the party, but they also aim to show that MDF is not a “one-man” party. On the other hand, current EP MP and deputy chairman Péter Olajos enjoys the full support of the party, who would like him to continue his work in the European Parliament.


MSzP members involved in double murder

Two men were shot dead in an elementary school in the District XXI, Csepel on January 8. The victims were József Takács, the director of the school, former deputy mayor of Csepel and László Papp his deputy in the school.
The alleged murderer was the security guard of the school, who after shooting the two men also shot himself on the hand to divert suspicion. Police suspects that the security guard had an affiliate in the crime, Gábor Deme, the financial manager of the school. The latter two was fired on the same day on the suspicion of major fraud.
One of the victims, János Takács and the one of the suspects, Gábor Deme were both socialist politicians, reported Hungarian online, Hírszerző. Deme is a member of the financial committee of the district.


MPs reimbursement only if attested by invoices

Already 100 thousand signatures were collected to start a referendum about MPs having to attest their reimbursements by invoices. Currently MPs do not have to hand in invoices to justify their spending. These 100 thousand signatures were collected since November last year, said Mária Seres, who initiated the referendum. "If the state expects people to ask invoices at least the same can be expected of politicians," told Seres, who collected the signatures without political parties or non governmental organizations. Altogether 200 thousand signatures are needed to start a referendum. The deadline of handing in the sheets is February 12 thus there is five more weeks to collect the missing signatures.

The Budapest Sun staff

15.01.2009