Hungary's junior governing Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) decided on Monday to quit the Socialist-led coalition government.
Janos Koka, the liberal party's leader, said the SZDSZ members of government will resign from their posts on April 30 and will continue their duties both in the government and parliament until then.
Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany made a speech on Saturday, and decided to sack reformist Health Minister Agnes Horvath, a Free Democrat politician, without consulting the junior party.
"With his Saturday speech, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany canceled the joint reform program of the coalition and thus the coalition agreement of the Socialists and the Free Democrats. SZDSZ is no longer willing to play a role as a coalition partner in the current government," Koka said.
Istvan Nyako, spokesman of Hungary's Socialist party (MSZP) said on Monday Hungary's Socialist party continues to back Prime Minister Gyurcsany and will negotiate with the liberal Free Democrats on the government program on Tuesday.
"MSZP supports Gyurcsany and favors calm, moderate reforms," he added.
It appears that the Socialists, with 190 seats in the 386-seat parliament, will be forced to govern as a minority from April 30.
SZDSZ controls the ministries of environment, economy and health and has state secretaries in other ministries. It has 20 seats in the parliament.
Prime Minister Gyurcsany on Monday called his own party and junior coalition partner SZDSZ to get together and redesign a two-year healthcare reform program. Focusing on healthcare, he called for continuing reforms, but advancing in a way that the public can relate to.
Koka said SZDSZ will work constructively with the Socialist minority government and help it carry out any reforms which it puts forward in tax, health and education. He stressed that SZDSZ would only take steps which aid the work of the government.
Source:Xinhua
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