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Once again Orbán Viktor launches the national Survey. This is a popular consultation, with rhetorical questions, which the Government uses to reaffirm itself in its speech. We all received an envelope with the full-color ballot by mail and in our name.
The campaign, let’s call it self-aggrandizing, includes gigantic posters with the image of Alex Soros, the son of the tycoon, Orbán’s archenemy, along with Úrsula von der Leyen, president of the European Union and the legend: “Let’s not dance to the rhythm of his whistle”.
There are eleven questions, with two possible answers each. Each question is followed by a brief explanation of it. I move on to translate the questions.
1. Brussels wants to eliminate the subsidy for public services (electricity and gas).
2. Brussels wants to eliminate the freezing of banking interests.
3. Brussels wants to eliminate the tax on extraordinary profits
4. Brussels wants to create an immigrant ghetto in Hungary.
5. Hamas benefited from the subsidies that Brussels was giving to Palestine.
6. Brussels sends even more weapons to Ukraine.
7. Brussels still wants to further increase subsidies to Ukraine
8. Brussels wants Ukraine to join the European Union.
9. Brussels wants to allow genetically modified Ukrainian cereals to enter the European Union market.
10. Brussels wants to repeal the Law on the Protection of Minors.
11. With money from Brussels and overseas they want to influence Hungarian political life.
To give you an idea of ??the modus operandi of the national consultation, I will tell you the first point: “Brussels wants to eliminate the subsidy for public services (electricity and gas).” Everything revolves around half-truths.
Hungary, through the European subsidy program RePower EU, receives money for energy development, especially regarding renewable energy. To receive these funds Hungary has to meet a series of requirements.
The subsidies that Hungary gives to electricity and gas bills do not correspond to the spirit of the program. On the one hand, subsidizing makes people consume more energy. On the other hand, the issue is not to subsidize current energies but to stimulate the development of new ones. In addition, Repower asks that fossil fuels: oil, gas and coal not be subsidized.
Hungary, despite Orbán’s belligerent attitude, has been negotiating funds and conditions with Brussels for some time. In fact, in September RePower EU approved the Hungarian proposal and released one billion euros.
The details of the new system that would be applied from 2026 are not publicly defined, but they suggested that consumers would have new, intelligent electricity meters, which would allow more strict monitoring of consumption and production of light, in the case for example that one has solar energy.
Finally, another of the Repower requirements, following the guidelines of the European Union, is that Hungary reduces the public deficit. The subsidies, it is understood, go in the opposite direction.
But they clarify from Europe that, if they want to apply subsidies, they would have to do so to the people who need it. With the current system of subsidies, everyone benefits, the poor and the rich.
At the citizen level, currently in Hungary the price per kW is 36 Ft. (€0.09) per home, as long as annual consumption does not exceed 2,523 kW, 210 per month. Above this consumption, the kW costs 70 Ft. (€0.18).
