’PAPRIKA SCANDAL’ – THE GOVERMENT MAY BE RESPONSIBLE

The opposition in parliament yesterday criticized sharply the Ministry of Agriculture for the poisonous sweet pepper transports. They claim it proves the responsibility of the ministry that the Premier wants to authorize the Ministry of Health with supervising the safety of the food market.

In the meantime it has turned out that the office to protect consumers in the European Union starts a five-day examination in Hungary from November 15. János Áder, faction leader of Fidesz urged a thorough investigation and an exemplary punishment even if there are pro-Socialist companies involved in the paprika scandal. István Tóth MP (Fidesz) said he had warned the government a year earlier of sweet pepper coming to Hungary from South America and probably the governmenmt did not react to the discovery of poisonous material in August because they wanted to give time to companies attached to the Socialists to sell their products. There are four more companies on the list of firms selling red pepper contaminated by aflatoxin.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó