Hungary's economic growth will outstrip expectations

BUDAPEST: Hungary's economy will grow far more quickly than expected and if numbers for the second quarter show that, there will be room for more fiscal initiatives, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told public radio on Friday.

Orban, who faces elections next year, said if the central bank's lending growth programme proves to have benefited the economy by the time it wraps up in August, it could be continued.

He added that the government, which agreed to change its laws earlier this month to allay European Union fears over democratic safeguards, did so despite its belief that the EU overstepped its powers to demand the changes.