EU Launches Legal Proceedings Against Hungary | WPN World People News

With new legislations coming into effect on 1 January 2012, changes in the Hungarian Government has incited negative responses from both its people and representatives from the European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

People marched to the streets following the walkout of IMF negotiators in the negotiation for a bailout package amounting to US$25 billion for the cash-deprived nation.

EU proposition was that new Hungarian legislations curb the independence of the national central bank, the data protection agency and the judiciary. For instance, cabinet minister can be appointed to participate in meetings of the central bank's monetary council, and requiring the council to send the government the agenda of its meetings in advance. The government has also lowered the retirement age of judges to 62 from 70, in addition to making other changes to the organization of courts. A new National Agency for Data Protection was established andthe government had power to dismiss the data supervisor.

Viktor Orban, the current prime minister of Hungary, is leading the Hungarian government in negotiations with the EU and related agencies to alleviate the challenges.