The CÖF-CÖKA announced at a press conference that, according to its information, the SPAR Magyarország store chain initiated secret negotiations with the EP and the EC, presumably regarding the Hungarian government's special tax on food and the application of the price cap. CÖF-CÖKA makes use of data requests to the presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament. Below is the announcement of the civil organizations:

Subject : Public interest data request regarding the attack by multi-companies against the measures of the Hungarian government protecting the interests of consumers, and the possible cooperation of EU institutions in it

Dear Madam President!

In response to the negative effects of high inflation (including food inflation fueled by multinational companies), the Hungarian government has introduced several positive measures protecting the interests of the Hungarian people in recent years.

However, the government's steps aimed at reducing the cost of living were met with a concerted offensive by the multi-companies operating in Hungary. In this highly questionable moral process, the SPAR store chain , which even in the age of global crises, driven solely by its business goals, challenged the price reduction measures in court.

The case was eventually brought before the Court of Justice of the European Union, which, instead of protecting European citizens, unfortunately once again sided with the multis, and the government's actions serving Hungarian families as contrary to EU law."

Due to the above, keeping in mind the interests of the Hungarian people, and considering that in the past period, the EU institutions have taken decisions with a political content that deviate from the dimension of law in several cases, where this should not have happened according to the Founding Treaties - I am contacting you with a data request of public interest, in the framework of which I am asking for your comprehensive answer to the following question:

  • Did any secret or prohibited negotiations take place between the representative of any multinational food chain operating in Hungary and you, or any (leading) official of the institution you lead, in order for the multinational companies to avoid the measures of the Hungarian government to the detriment of consumers?

Waiting for your respectful reply as soon as possible!

Budapest, October 10, 2024.

Sincerely:

Dr. László Csizmadia

President of the Civil Solidarity Forum - Civil Solidarity Public Foundation (CÖF-CÖKA).

The press conference can be reviewed here:

A coordinated EU attack against the Hungarian government led by Spar was launched (with video)

Cover image: The SPAR grocery store on the ground floor of the Budapest Sugár Business Center.
MTVA/Commissioner: László Róka