Hungary in the news - via HVG
How not to be a government spokespersonon Apr 10, 2007 via HVG There are several ways not to be a government spokesperson, but perhaps the most effective is simply to turn down the job. The woman who just did so said she believe the post of government spokesperson was the top of her profession. If this is true, then it is obvious why she declined. But at least she can now dine out on how she didn't become government spokesperson. Like many of her colleagues, I have just such a story.See details
|
Basescu blackmailing the RMDSZon Mar 26, 2007 via HVG Zsolt Nagy, minister for IT and telecommunications in the Romanian government, stands accused of treachery and spying. The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania is standing by its politician. The minister spoke to hvg.hu.See details
|
Interview with the candidateon Mar 26, 2007 via HVG In a few days' time, the Free Democrats will elect a new president to succeed Gabor Kuncze. Fodor or Koka? Below, Gabor Fodor gives his views. He is seeking a fundamental change in the party's policies, he would enter into a dialogue with Fidesz and broaden out the party's electoral base. He would not shy away from state intervention aimed at helping the disadvantaged.See details
|
Symbolson Mar 26, 2007 via HVG In central and eastern Europe, the symbols of totalitarian ideals were banned as part of the transition to democracy. Laws were passed, but it has become clear that there is no perfect solution. The symbols of left- and right-wing totalitarianism affect the public differently, as do the pictures of different movements' leaders. For some, these symbols cause derision, but for others even highly stylised forms of those symbols are a cause of fear, and so are useful to a radical minority bent on provoking the majority.See details
|
"Viktor Orban is playing a dangerous game?on Mar 26, 2007 via HVG It's commonplace with Democratic countries that reporting on international affairs is more balanced and objective than that on domestic affairs. But faced with the Austrian press we have to concede that there are exceptions. Die Presse and Der Standard show few signs of objectiveness and balance. In their reports, there is the unmistakable whiff of cold civil war.See details
|
Hungary Tomorrow projecton Mar 26, 2007 via HVG Admit it: the idea of a round table is a good one. We all like the Arthur legends, and the lustre of the round table has not faded. Questions that affect everyone and that are more important than the grind of daily problems should be dealt with by some kind of joint method - just as in the legends of the Grail. This month, a round table of experts will gather under the name Hungary Tomorrow. Its task will be to help find a consensus in the questions that will affect society in the medium- and long-term, addressing pensions reform, education and competitiveness.See details
|
In time and spaceon Mar 21, 2007 via HVG In place of Janos Kadar's shadow, the Socialists' new temporary headquarters is overshadowed by the shades of Ignac Martinovics and Bela Kun.See details
|
Five terms - how many more?on Mar 21, 2007 via HVG Ibolya D?vid , recently confirmed in her position as leader of the Hungarian Democratic Forum, believes her party could have a government role after the next elections. The question is whether the sympathy felt to a party which manages to be everyone's enemy can be converted into votes.See details
|
Cross-countryon Mar 18, 2007 via HVG It is most unlikely that millions of Asians will flood Hungary in the near future, and no more likely that workers will leave the poorer North East of Hungary to flood a wealthier western Hungary.See details
|
The Mazsihisz boomerang: boycotting the ceremonieson Mar 18, 2007 via HVG You might think it was some kind of anti-Semitic provocation. But no, the press release is attributable to the chairman of Mazsihisz, an organization that often speaks up in the name of Hungary's Jewish community.See details
|
Responsibility of forceson Mar 12, 2007 via HVG The Gonczol report on the autumn riots fails to address the question of police responsibility and makes no attempt to examine the role of the government. But the Morvai report confines itself to looking at police brutality. Ferenc Koszeg is not impressed. The founding president of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee thinks it is especially dangerous that both the police and the secret services are in the hands of one person: the minister Gyorgy Szilvasi. Fidesz and Orban have only one desire: to bring down the government. Ill omens ahead of the long weekend.See details
|
Gyurcs?ny, head of the Socialist partyon Mar 05, 2007 via HVG Given the choice, the Socialist Party - like other former communist parties - has always compromised on ideology rather than cede any more power than it had to. It is a curious paradox that Gyurcsany has this reflex to thank for his newly minted party leadership. The general view held at the Socialist party congress was that neoliberal economic policies were fine so long as nothing endangered the survival of the coalition.See details
|
Parallelson Mar 05, 2007 via HVG There are certain similarities between The Network, a book co-authored by the recently poisoned Alexander Litvinyenko and the report produced by Krisztina Morvai's committee on the events of autumn 2006. Both works blame machinations by the political elites for outbreaks of mass violence.See details
|
Goodbye Kadar?on Mar 01, 2007 via HVG The Socialist Party's weekend congress was one of transitions. Most of the delegates embraced party discipline, endorsing Ferenc Gyurcsany's policies. And if they did not always understand what was happening to them, they seemed certain that it was right to support their new president in everything. The president himself made it quite clear that there would be consequences for anyone who thought differently. Katalin Szili was the sacrificial lamb.See details
|
One million emigratedon Feb 27, 2007 via HVG First it was hordes of singles, and now it's the yellow peril. This, in a few words, is Christian Democrat leader Zsolt Semjen's reaction to the government's study on immigration. It's not the first time one of our parties has played the xenophobia card.See details
|
Not through the rankson Feb 27, 2007 via HVG "I got top marks for everything at primary school, apart from behaviour, where I scored four out of five," the 50-year-old finance minister tells us, emphasising that even as a child he was aiming high.See details
|
Interview with Istvan Stumpf, head of the Szazadveg Foundationon Feb 21, 2007 via HVG There's no more intellectual excitement and the party leadership seems incapable of accepting measured, intellectual criticism, according to Istvan Stumpf, 49, listing the reasons for Fidesz's problems. He says party leader Viktor Orban should find a new political consensus that embraces the party's new generation of local politicians.See details
|
The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union respondson Feb 09, 2007 via HVG In an interview with hvg.hu, Balazs Denes, president of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, condemned both Fidesz's dismantling of barriers on Kossuth ter and the fact that they are still in place on the square.See details
|
Budapests sex shopson Feb 07, 2007 via HVG Of Hungary's 200 sex shops, some 20 serve a primarily male clientele in Budapest. But mothers also make their appearance in these boutiques, even if some have to overcome their shyness to do so. What are women looking for, and what do men spend their money on? hvg.hu asked proprietors about what's hot.See details
|
The Lipotvaros Wallon Feb 04, 2007 via HVG The Lipotvaros Wall, already the subject of furious criticism from opposition parties, human rights organisations, Free Democrat MPs and even Katalin Szili, speaker of Parliament, is becoming a touchstone of political scandal.See details
|
