PM GYURCSÁNY: „WHAT THE HELL WOULD EUROPE LIKE TO HAVE FROM US?”

The British business daily Financial Times quoted Premier Gyurcsány who said: ’Hungarians’ livingh standards are much lower than the European average. What the hell would Europe like to have from us?’

The British paper mentioned the fact that last week Joaquín Almunia, EU commissionaire of finance hinted at the possibility of retaining EU-subsidies for Hungary if it did not reduce its deficit. Premier Gyurcsány accepted the need but, faced with an election in the spring he would not cut back investments in infrastructure or significantly reduce welfare benefits. He said it was not necessary to implement new restrictive measures to reach the deficit target of 6.1 pc. The British daily quoted the new strategy of EBRD concerning Hungary which proposed structural measures to cut back deficit and public spending.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó