NEW YORK, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Hungarian prime minister, Gordon Bajnai, said on Wednesday he would resign if parliament does not pass the country's budget in November, but also said he was confident the fiscal measure would be affirmed.
'A lame duck government is worse than early elections', Bajnai told an audience at Columbia University.
Bajnai added that he still intended to quit politics after the 2010 elections
Hungary's government submitted the budget to parliament earlier this month, and a final vote is expected in November, but the government needs to secure the support of several opposition lawmakers.
The budget includes further spending cuts to keep the budget deficit under 3.8 percent of gross domestic product next year.
Hungary resorted to IMF-led international aid last October to avert financial meltdown. After a review of Hungary's performance on meeting the conditions of its $25.1 billion loan earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union said the country's fiscal and economic policies were on track.
(Reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Kenneth Barry) Keywords: HUNGARY BUDGET (edward.krudy@thomsonreuters.com; Tel: +1 646-223-6314; Reuters Messaging: edward.krudy@reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
'A lame duck government is worse than early elections', Bajnai told an audience at Columbia University.
Bajnai added that he still intended to quit politics after the 2010 elections
Hungary's government submitted the budget to parliament earlier this month, and a final vote is expected in November, but the government needs to secure the support of several opposition lawmakers.
The budget includes further spending cuts to keep the budget deficit under 3.8 percent of gross domestic product next year.
Hungary resorted to IMF-led international aid last October to avert financial meltdown. After a review of Hungary's performance on meeting the conditions of its $25.1 billion loan earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union said the country's fiscal and economic policies were on track.
(Reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Kenneth Barry) Keywords: HUNGARY BUDGET (edward.krudy@thomsonreuters.com; Tel: +1 646-223-6314; Reuters Messaging: edward.krudy@reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.