István Hiller is a founding member of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) and has been its chairman since October 2004. He became state secretary at the Ministry of Education in May 2002 and served as Minister of Culture in 2003 ? 2005.
A number of ministries have been combined or redefined so that there are now 12 portfolios instead of 17 previously. Additionally, three new government posts have been created.
?We want to make a better country?and this requires much change. The most important motor for this change must be the government of the Republic of Hungary,? Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány said.
György Szilvásy, a close confident and advisor of Mr Gyurcsany, will head the Prime Minister's office. His predecessor, Péter Kiss, will take the helm at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. János Kóka will keep his job as the head of the Ministry of Economics and Transportation. Miklós Persányi will stay on at the Ministry of Environment and Water Management, and Lajos Molnár will lead the Ministry of Health. Gyurcsany appointed former Equal Opportunities Minister Kinga Göncz as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Her former ministry has been abolished. Imré Szekeres is the new Defence Minister. József Gráf will stay on at the Ministry of Agriculture, while Mónika Lamperth has been appointed Minister for Local Governments and Regional Development. Her old ministry, the Ministry of Interior, has been scrapped. József Petrétei will run the Ministry of Justice and Law Enforcement, and János Veres will keep his post as Finance Minister.
Filling the three new government posts will be Tibor Draskovics, a former finance minister, who will head the State Reform Commission, Gordon Bajnai, the president of Budapest Airport, who will head the Development Council, and Gábor Szetey, a top official for Philip Morris in Argentina, will head the Government Services Centre.
The nominated ministers will soon be officially confirmed by Parliament
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
