Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said there is a chance that Hungary can adopt the euro in 2014 whatever the outcome of the April general election.
In an article in Thursday’s Nepszabadsag daily, Bajnai said that Hungarian crisis management was now concentrating on the next decade rather than the upcoming elections.
If the country’s government is wise and tough enough after the elections, Hungary will be in a position to join the single currency on January 1, 2004, he said.
Bajnai said that the euro could only help Hungary’s long-term growth if it is coupled with rising employment and a sustainable economic growth rate of 4 percent — two percentage points higher than the EU average.
Bajnai said that it would remain to be seen if the next government — polls indicate it will be led by conservative party Fidesz — would accept the inconvenience of responsibility. If they do, Hungary will finally be anchored in the West. If they prefer to generate illusions and make the public expect miracles, Hungary will stay between West and East, drifting from crisis to crisis, he said.
“It is shallow-minded if a political campaign limits itself to saying that a change in government will bring about miracles,” he said.
It’s is no likely that Hungary will switch to Euro anytime soon, least not before 2018. Not only does the government have to get their act together, but minimum wages will need to increase and taxes be reduced before any change can or will come about. In this bureaucratic and corrupted system that is not likely to happen regardless of the leadership. MSZP and Fidesz have been working together for a long time on the upcoming elections, regardless of the name, it will still be the same people calling the shots. Sadly it is a loose loose situation for the average, hardworking and honest Hungarian.
Why bother to track Bajnai? He’s a lame duck and is detached from reality. He had his chance to do the right thing a year ago by going to the population and getting a mandate, and then a 4 year ticket to solve the problems.
Whatever the outcome is now, his decade long plan is only going to be on the table if it forms part of a platform that the nation buys into. Is he putting this on the table now? Or is he insisting that the opposition, frozen out of influence for 8 years should continue his strategy for which he didn’t get a popular mandate?
As to adopting the EUR, I guess when he completes his time travel machine, we will indeed be able to go back to 2004, and join as he all fantasies will be shown to be achieveable.
well another stupid remark of Bajnai (one of the traitors who give away Hungary and the hungarians to the dictatorship of the EUssr to end the nationstate!)
The eurozone is in big trouble (PIIGS), the future of the euro insecure and he is talking about adopting the euro!!
PIIGS = Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain