Civil orgs call on govt to withdraw proposal on sale of council-owned rental flats

Professional organisations have called for the withdrawal of draft legislation on the mandatory sale of local council-owned rental apartments, originally maintained by councils to help vulnerable citizens. At a joint press conference in front of Parliament on Wednesday, representatives of 32 organisations said the proposal would harm a basic right enshrined in the constitution and made social housing policy impossible. Zsolt Szegfalvi, the leader of Habitat for Humanity Hungary, said the proposal would be the final blow to an already struggling rental flat system and social housing policy. Also, it lacked any professional background, he said.