Giorgi Matolksi is upset that, in his opinion, the former MNB vice president is the one directing the current attacks against the Central Bank. At this point, according to the report – perhaps for the first time – it was given a name: Marton Nagy attacks the Central Bank. He said: The ruling Minister of National Economy had to be removed from the Central Bank earlier because, according to György Matulsi, he was acting against the interests of the Central Bank.
The words of the central bank governor on Thursday, which hinted at the independence of the central bank, meant that MNB highlighted on Wednesday in a statement: “It welcomes the opinion of the European Central Bank, according to which the amendment of the central bank law initiated by the Ministry of Finance cannot lead to a weakening of Independence of the central bank.
Recently, the Ministry of Finance proposed amending the scope of tasks of the Central Bank Directorate and amending the Central Bank Law to expand the powers of the Supervisory Board.
This change essentially means that the multinational bank supervisory committee authorized by the government and parliament can inspect companies and institutions directly owned by the central bank. (In addition, there is also a professional question about financing the national debt.)
Minister of National Economy Marton Nagy immediately responded to the statement, saying: “Between 2013 and 2020, György Matolksi was my boss, and now I have a different boss. Thank God!” The Minister stressed that “2024 is the year of restoring economic growth, in which the recovery of consumption and the increase in productive and investment activity of the local sector are considered essential.” Addressing the Central Bank Governor, he said: “In the published criticism, short-term cyclical elements are mixed with long-term fundamental elements.” The Minister of Finance responded in a statement. As he wrote, the government respects the independence of the central bank.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán joined the discussion and declared:
The independence of the central bank is sacred and must not be compromised.
Bertalan Havasi, the Prime Minister's press director, told MTI that the government has not yet discussed amending the law on the powers of the MNB's supervisory board.
