Viktória Lőrincz assumes control of Hungarian public procurement

According to recent amendments published in the Magyar Közlöny, the Hungarian government has restructured several ministerial responsibilities. Viktória Lőrincz, the Minister for Rural and Local Government Development, has been granted authority over public procurement, a role previously held by the Minister of Finance. Her new duties include preparing procurement legislation, shaping government procurement policy, and managing central oversight and licensing.

The Padlástér Political Analysis Workshop noted that this concentration of decision-making power requires rigorous monitoring of public fund usage. The timing follows scrutiny regarding a 3.98 billion forint tender awarded to the Austrian company Swietelsky, which was reportedly 33 percent more expensive than competing domestic bids.

Other administrative changes include the renaming of one of Zoltán Tarr’s duties from national policy to Hungarian policy, effective January 1. Additionally, the government has reallocated 3.5 billion forints from the Central Residual Settlement Fund toward various sectors, including 1.5 billion forint for disaster management, 1 billion forint for the Bethlen Gábor Fund, and 500 million for social and child protection services.