The next government will set up a fund to help those who have borrowed in foreign currency to convert their debts into forint loans, incoming Economy Minister György Matolcsy announced on Friday.
Speaking on a TV2 morning news show, he said “It will cost the banking system a lot and maybe also the state, but persons indebted in foreign currencies should be bailed out”. Referring to “the problems of Greece and other Mediterranean countries, and the pressure they exercise on the forint,” Matolcsy said “the coming storm should not affect 1.5 million Hungarians”.
In response, National Bank governor András Simor warned on MTV news Sunday night that the conversion would cost the state hundreds of billions of forints. The costs would have to be paid by the banks, the state or borrowers, Simor underlined.
if the banks or the state have to pay for the costs, then it is very clear who is going to pay for it! Yes the hungarian people, the only difference is that also hungarians who didn’t take foreign currency loans have to pay too for them who did.
@Geza. Those with HUF denominated mortgages have
been subsidizing those with FX debts for years.
Keeping the HUF % high was the key tool used to
prevent a run on the currency that would have hurt
those with F/X mortgages. However, those with the
HUF debts had to pay higher rates as a result; and
their debts in local currency didn’t reduce as one
would have expected, as the currency didn’t devalue.
What a pathetic mess Central bank and MSZP have cooked up. But, look at what happened the last time Fidesz governed IN 1998-2002. A similar fiasco.
So,it appears the MSZP have returned the favor?