Kovacs: Nearly 700,000 participate in national survey on sanctions

Concerning the consultations, Kovacs said Western Europe “does not understand the system” because “they no longer have the routine of asking voters for feedback between elections,” adding that “voters’ opinion is not as important” in those countries. The Hungarian government, however, “clearly sees that policy making based on national interests requires continuous feedback from the people rather than just once in four years, at the general elections”.

The government’s surveys “allow everyone an opportunity to put their position forward … they could say that they agree with what is going on around the energy sanctions but they could also express their approval of the government’s position”, Kovacs said.

Kovacs also said the government’s nationwide rallies attracted many people because they “understand that the sanctions are not good for Hungary nor for the European Union”.