– The fight against drugs requires coordinated, nation-wide action. That’s why the responsibility doesn’t rest solely with the government and the authorities. Parliament must also play its part, Istvan Hollik told our newspaper in an interview. The MP of Hungary's co-ruling Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) explained that, at his initiative, a new parliamentary subcommittee has been established to support the work of government commissioner Laszlo Horvath and to monitor anti-drug efforts.
The government politician expressed regret that a significant number of opposition MPs failed to attend the subcommittee’s founding session, thus withholding their support. In Mr. Hollik’s view, this suggests that the opposition does not prioritize the fight against drugs. As for the legislative package submitted to parliament, he said it would establish a stricter and clearer legal framework, while expanding the definition of drugs.
He emphasized that this is necessary because the world of designer drugs evolves rapidly, and authorities must keep pace in order to defend effectively.
Commenting on the more permissive drug policies advocated by the left and the city leadership, Mr. Hollik remarked: “Budapest has a drug policy—not an anti-drug policy.” He called this a serious problem, pointing to Mayor Gergely Karacsony and the Tisza Party for supporting a liberal approach that, in his words, opens loopholes. “Moreover, Budapest is heavily affected by the drug issue. Just think of the record seizure in Csepel, where police confiscated 7.5 tonnes of crystal precursor material. It’s horrifying to imagine what could have happened if all that had reached the streets,” he added. Regarding legislation to restrict the consumption of energy drinks, the KDNP lawmaker noted that despite Brussels' efforts to obstruct and delay the process, the law is now close to being passed. He announced that it would be on Parliament’s agenda on Tuesday, April 29.
