Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister's Office, told a regular government press briefing on Thursday that the government will start sending out the ballots of a referendum on Ukraine's European Union membership to voters next week.
The referendum question "Do you support Ukraine becoming a member of the EU?" was printed on special paper and the votes will be counted in the presence of a public notary, Gulyás said.
Gulyás said admitting Ukraine to the bloc in a fast-track procedure would involve serious financial risks for Hungary, arguing that Ukraine would end up with a large share of cohesion funding and agricultural subsidies.
Because Ukraine did not observe the EU's strict regulations, its accession would involve serious food safety, labour market, and public safety risks, he said. Gulyás added that Ukraine should be admitted on merit, not based on political pressure.
The Hungarian government, he said, remained committed to the cause of peace, adding that US efforts to put peace at the centre of politics deserved support. "It's in the European Union's interest that the war should end as soon as possible," he said.
"Incessant Brussels endeavours" to integrate Ukraine into the EU at the earliest possible date were contrary to Europe and Hungary's interests, Gulyás said. "Opinion polls already conducted using Brussels money show the majority supports this." But people themselves now have "the opportunity to freely express their opinion thanks to the Hungarian government," he added.
Meanwhile,Gulyás said that breaking inflation this year and reducing unjustifiably high prices was the government's "most important task". The government-mandated cap on markups for a range of food products at big supermarket chains had brought food price inflation to a standstill in March, adding that food prices were expected to fall in April.
Since the markup cap was introduced on March 13, the prices of 894 products have dropped, he said. He added that the markup cap was a functioning model that needed to be continued and expanded.
He said talks with banks and telecommunications companies were underway.
So far, profit margin restrictions have resulted in an over 50 percent reduction in the case of 23 product, while the prices of 103 products were reduced by between 40-50 percent, the prices of 144 products by 30-40 percent, the prices of 169 products by 20-30 percent, the prices 199 products by 10-20 percent, and in the case of 256 products the prices were reduced by 10 percent, the minister said.
Concerning banking and telecom charges, Gulyás said that they would be reduced to December 2024 levels and stay at that level "until mid-next year for certain". He said the government would monitor companies' compliance with their agreements.
"The Banking Association has adopted the goal of reducing inflation and the banking sector must contribute," Gulyás said.
He also said the government had asked the economy minister to conduct talks on reducing "unjustified high retail prices" of goods other than food.
Meanwhile, Gulyás said the government will increase the salaries of municipal employees in towns with a population of less than 10,000 in two steps. Municipal staff will be given a 15 percent pay rise on July 1 and another 15 percent on January 1 next year, Gulyás said.
The minister noted the complexity of the tasks of municipal officials in small towns, noting that their average pay was "extremely low".
From January 1, 2026 the government will extend the institution of town manager to towns with a population of 1,500 or less and increase its financing, Gulyás said.
The government will also buy up the buildings of former savings cooperatives in small towns or purchase those properties and transfer the deeds to the municipality to facilitate community activities.