The NBH reiterated that a meeting called for Monday of Parliament’s fiscal committee to discuss the operation of the central bank was illegal because the NBH is outside of the committee’s area of authority.

Committee chair Sándor Burány, a lawmaker of the opposition Socialists, called the hearing for testimony by NBH governor György Matolcsy on the central bank’s recent purchases of real estate and its contributions to funds that support education.

Testimony on the central bank’s activities may be given only to Parliament’s economics committee, the NBH said.

The central bank has come under fire from the opposition recently over allegations that its purchases of a staff retreat in the countryside and a prime category office building in the capital, as well as a 200-billion-forint (EUR 635m) contribution to funds supporting education in finance and economics, fall outside of the central bank’s scope of activity.

The NBH said it continues to operate on the “principle of balanced, transparent and sustainable business management” without presenting a burden to taxpayers.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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