STRAIGHT LEFT TO INNOVATION

’The government deceives companies, lets its partners in reasearch and innovation down and gives up the obligation to finance economic participants on equal grounds.’

József Pálinkás, chairman of the cultural section of Fidesz said it became problematic how the principles of a knowledge-based society and competitiveness could be observed if their financing was so easily refused by the state. In 2003 a wide number of companies ranging from medical industry to plastic industry undertook to pay contributions to a development and innovation fund if the Socialist – Free Democrat government coalition granted the same amount of money for research and innovation. According to Professor Pálinkás the market participants paid into the fund HUF 15.7 billion in 2004 but the budget bill for 2006 contains only HUF 12 billion for this purpose. The professor claims this illegal move has been possible by cancelling the parapgraph in the law referring to the obligation of the state. By this sly measure the government destroys the whole system of research and development. ’It seems the government wants more packers instead of more R&D experts’, József Pálinkás said. The Ministry of Education claims they have accepted the HUF 12 billion proposal of the Ministry of Finance for the next year but they want to prepare a motion for 2007 to give the formerly granted state subsidy again.

P.Sz.Sz.