László Gajdos announced on his official social media page, later confirmed by domestic news agency sources, one of the most important green policy personnel decisions of the 2026 government formation: in the newly established Ministry for the Living Environment, Zsuzsanna Kertész-Káldosi will fill the position of Secretary of State for Environmental Protection and Circular Economy. The appointment signals a clear policy shift towards strict data-driven environmental management, as the new Secretary of State has been one of the most defining developers of domestic waste management and IT systems over the past twenty years, and later a recognized advocacy leader in the private sector.
Professionalism and Responsible Management in the New Ministry
In his official announcement published on the evening of May 14, 2026, László Gajdos emphasized that with the addition of Zsuzsanna Kertész-Káldosi, “professionalism and responsible management” will become the unquestionable cornerstone of the Ministry for the Living Environment’s environmental policy. During the governmental restructuring and reallocation of portfolios, a key consideration was that the green transition and the implementation of European Union sustainability goals should be directed by technocratic experts who possess not only theoretical but also in-depth practical and institutional knowledge.
Two Decades of Experience in Public Administration
The name and work of Zsuzsanna Kertész-Káldosi are decisive in the field of domestic environmental affairs. The expert graduated as an environmental engineer and, prior to her appointment, spent approximately twenty years at the ministry responsible for environmental affairs and its various professional predecessors (such as the Waste Management Department of the former Ministry of Agriculture). During her career, she has worked at every level of state administration, from conducting field inspections as an investigating expert to drafting legislation. This uninterrupted presence of more than two decades guarantees that the new Secretary of State is intimately familiar with the challenges of regulatory work, ministerial protocols, and the structural attributes of domestic environmental protection.
Data-Driven Environmental Protection: The Development of OKIR and EHIR
One of the most significant segments of the new Secretary of State’s professional past, which can also be well described by quantitative indicators, is linked to domestic waste management data reporting. For over five years, Zsuzsanna Kertész-Káldosi proactively participated in creating the legal framework for domestic waste management data reporting and building the related IT systems.
Her key responsibilities as a desk officer included the professional supervision of the operation of the National Environmental Protection Information System (OKIR), and specifically the Unified Waste Management Information System (EHIR) built upon it. These digital databases form the backbone of domestic environmental protection: they receive millions of data rows annually from domestic companies and institutions regarding generated, transported, and treated waste. The Secretary of State was previously responsible for processing and preparing aggregated national baseline waste management data (millions of tons of material flows) and coordinating the continuous IT development of the EHIR.
Corporate Integration: From Professional Director of KSZGYSZ to the Secretariat of State
Alongside a strict public administration background, the Secretary of State also has deep insight into the operations of the market and the civil sector. Before accepting the 2026 government appointment, she worked as an environmental advisor and later as the professional director of the Association of Environmental Enterprises (KSZGYSZ). KSZGYSZ is the most relevant advocacy organization of the domestic green industry, bringing together technology developers, waste managers, and consultants.
As professional director, she dealt daily with the industry challenges of the green economy, the fight against climate change, air quality protection, and brownfield remediation. Her duties included developing the association’s professional position papers, as well as educational activities in higher education and at national conferences.
References and Official Sources:
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News Agency and Press Reference: Official MTI / Portfolio report on the appointment of the Secretary of State (May 14, 2026)
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Official Government Site (Kormány.hu): Government of Hungary – Ministries