Zoltán Balog (politician)
| Zoltán Balog MP | |
|---|---|
.JPG) | |
| Minister of Human Resources | |
|
In office 14 May 2012 – 18 May 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Viktor Orbán |
| Preceded by |
Miklós Réthelyi (National Resources) |
| Succeeded by | Miklós Kásler |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
|
Assumed office 16 May 2006 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
7 January 1958 Ózd, Hungary |
| Political party | Fidesz |
| Spouse(s) | Judit Révész |
| Children |
|
| Profession | Calvinist pastor |
Zoltán Balog (born 7 January 1958)[1] is a Hungarian Calvinist pastor and politician, who served as Minister of Human Resources from 2012 to 2018.
Studies and pastoral activity
Zoltán Balog was born in Ózd on 7 January 1958. He was a volunteer in the post-WW2 renovation works of church buildings in Wittenberg, Goppeln and Dresden. He was an extramural student of the United Protestant Church in East Berlin in 1980. He finished his secondary studies at the Calvinist College of Debrecen in 1976. He worked as mechanical worker and turner for the Diósgyőr Machine Factory (DIGÉP) between 1976 and 1977. He was a caretaker at the Catholic Social Home of Hosszúhetény from 1979 to 1980. He started his theology studies at the Debrecen Reformed Theological University. He spent four semesters at the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg from 1981 to 1983. He graduated as a Calvinist pastor in the Budapest Reformed Theological Academy in 1983.[1]
He served as a pastor in Maglód and five surrounding villages between 1983 and 1987. Thereafter he spent two years as a postgraduate student in the University of Tübingen. He worked as a consultant for the Conference of European Churches (CEC). He was a pastor for East German refugees in Csillebérc pioneering camp in September 1989. He was a lecturer at the Budapest Reformed Theological University between 1989 and 1991. He taught divinity at the Deutsche Schule Budapest from 1991 to 1996 and the Baár–Madas Calvinist College from 1992 to 1993. He was a scientific associate for the Ecumenical Institute of the University of Bonn between 1993 and 1996. He was elected pastor of the German-speaking Protestant Congregation in Budapest in 1996, holding the position until 2006. He is a curator of the fund of the Bethesda Children Hospital since 2000.[1]
Political career
He is a member of the National Assembly (MP) since 2006.[2] He functioned as chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, Minority, Civic and Religious Affairs between 2006 and 2010.[2]
Between 2 June 2010 and 13 May 2012, he was State Secretary for Social Inclusion within the Ministry of National Resources. On 3 May 2012 Minister of National Resources Miklós Réthelyi resigned from his office. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán appointed Balog as the successor to Réthelyi. The office was also renamed to Ministry of Human Resources.[2] During his ministership, the Klebelsberg Institution Maintenance Centre (KLIK) was established on 1 September 2012,[3] which became the central state agency for managing schools and marked centralised education system.
On 23 April 2018, Balog announced, he will step down as Minister of Human Resources, disagreeing with the prime minister over structural considerations, who intended to keep the type of superministry system. Balog was appointed managing director of the Fidesz's Foundation for Civic Hungary.[4]
Personal life
He is married. His second wife is Judit Révész. They have five children - four daughters, Anna, Veronika, Eleonóra and Réka and a son, Ádám.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 "Biography" (PDF). Országgyűlés.
- 1 2 3 "Register". Országgyűlés.
- ↑ KLIK alapító okirat Archived July 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Balog Zoltán távozik az Emmi éléről". Index.hu. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ↑ BALOG ZOLTÁN - FIDESZ - 2015-ÖS VAGYONNYILATKOZAT - January 30, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Miklós Réthelyi |
Minister of Human Resources 2012–2018 |
Succeeded by Miklós Kásler |
Authority control  |
|---|