Earlier on Tuesday Marcel Szabó, the deputy ombudsman in charge of future generations, and green organisations lobbied the government not to sign the planned free trade agreement, as in their view it holds the danger of allowing the spread of GMOs, it is unclear on how disputes between investors and states can be settled and its temporary effect would be problematic.

Szabó said the agreement is not in line with criteria approved by Hungarian lawmakers in June on free trade agreements and it is also unconstitutional.

Green opposition LMP spokesman József Gál said that by supporting CETA, the Hungarian government has once again proven that it represents the interests of multinational corporations instead of Hungarian workers and businesses.

CETA will only favour companies that view Hungary as “an assembly plant,” he said.

When CETA enters into force, “Hungary’s autonomy will significantly decrease” because “an anti-democratic procedure for settling disputes” will enter into force that grants special rights to companies registered in Canada, he added.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.