Anti-terror legislation can pass after talks with Opposition

Magyar Nemzet is happy to see a rare case of consensus forming on the floor of Parliament on an important issue.

In the turmoil after the sudden death of the Sunday Shop Closures Act (see BudaPost April 13th, 2016) the parliamentary talks on the government’s anti-terror legislation have almost vanished from sight, even though what is going on is truly remarkable and rare, writes Szabolcs Szerető in a Magyar Nemzet editorial. Namely, a compromise between the government and the opposition appears about to happen.

A set of anti-terror amendments to existing laws and the Constitution proposed by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence might be presented to Parliament as early as next week after wide-spread consultations with opposition parties and experts. Earlier this year, the planned package was in large part dismissed by opposition parties and media commentators as an attempt to use anti-terror legislation for political gains (See BudaPost March 25th, 2016). Since then, to secure wide-spread parliamentary support for the bill, many of the opposition’s proposals have been accepted by the government. Talks with opposition parties on the legislation are expected to continue next week. Jobbik and LMP are currently positive about a deal being reached with the government, while the support of the MSZP is still in limbo.

If the bill, including those portions that require a two-thirds majority in Parliament, does pass, Szerető argues, then the government can demonstrate its flexibility and its ability to compromise, while the opposition can show it does not neglect national security.Disagreements on the parts related to amending the constitution may still upset the process, however, the author warns.

Tags: Parliament, terrorism