A conservative columnist again cautions the government against acting without consulting the wider public. He believes that cooperation and negotiation would make public policy more efficient and the governing party more popular.
“Stability and security require cautious, consensual decision making. It is time to slow down,” Heti Válasz editor-in-chief Gábor Borókai advises the government, repeating the first sentences of his column from last December. Borókai admits that the Fidesz government has made important reforms, but he also notes that it has made mistakes by not being wise enough in its use of its two-thirds majority. Commenting on the recent student unrest (see BudaPost December 24), Borókai remarks that the government should have consulted students before interfering with the scholarship allocation rules. By doing so, it could have involved the students and could have convinced them that the proposed reforms were reasonable. Students to a large extent protested not against the substance of the new regulations, but rather because they felt the decisions were made over their heads, Borókai believes. In general, he advises the government to act more cautiously and cooperatively instead of trying to solve problems on its own, otherwise it will alienate potential supporters.
