Jobbik initiates referendum on axing welfare benefits for criminals and families
Published on Sunday, 03 February 2013 19:43 Written by MTI
The radical nationalist Jobbik party on Friday presented an initiative for a referendum on depriving serious offenders and their family members of welfare benefits to the National Election Office (OVB) for verification.
The measure would affect the families of under-18 offenders who are found guilty of murder, robbery, blackmailing or other serious crimes.
The families concerned would be deprived of certain type of welfare benefits, such as pay supplement for low earners and financial aid, for three years.
Jobbik’s deputy leader Tamas Sneider blamed the “extreme liberal policies” of the past 23 years for “endless tolerance towards criminals”.
Should the governing parties agree to address the issue in legislation, Jobbik will abandon the initiative, he said.
Sneider said that the 200,000 signatures required obliging Parliament to call the referendum would be collected “within moments”. Under Hungarian law, Jobbik has four months to collect the signatures.
Credit: Politics