Orban: Govt ready to work with cooperative local councils

The government is ready to "cooperate with all mayors and local councils that are themselves ready to cooperate," Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in parliament's opening autumn session on Monday. Referring to the recent local elections, Orban said that "everybody, regardless of party affiliation, must work for Hungary and the Hungarian people." "The nation cannot be in opposition," he added. Concerning the election results, Orban said it was "a great honour" for the ruling parties to have captured over 50 percent of votes nationwide. This equals an endorsement of the government's major policies, he said, enumerating among them a work-based and pro-family economy, higher wages, help for young people to buy or renovate homes and national cohesion.