HUNGARIANS WOULD CHECK PRIVATIZATION

The significant number of citizens agree with the intention to supervise all the irregular cases of privatization as the representative national opinion poll shows it. The opinion poll conducted by Kontroll Group asked 800 people about the general expectations concerning privatization, especially that of important state properties.

The citizens are not basically against privatization: 75 pc of them claim that state properties sold at a good price have been rather profitable than detrimental during the past 15 years but the survey points out that citizens feel the Hungarian economy is overprivatized. 72 pc opposes the continuation of privatization and 74 pc of the citizens are against the sale of Malév and Budapest Airport, while 72 pc of them oppose the privatization of the national railway company (MÁV).

Only 10 pc of the questioned voters say the state used the income of privatization for important public purposes. 85 pc finds corruption and the wasting of public property the most risky and 69 pc agrees with Viktor Orbán, chairman of Fidesz in the necessity of supervising the irregular cases of privatization. This support is 87 pc in the circle of Fidesz sympathizers but 58 pc of the Socialist voters also believe a stronger control would be necessary.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó