Hungary is lost

Not surprisingly mainly the young and well educated are leaving the country in masses since Orbán “won” the elections in April. In this very case I completely agree with Ferenc Gyurcsány, who in parliament said that there is no legitimate government in Hungary and that the elections weren’t even close to be democratic. After a heavy ideological attack by László Kövér, Orbán’s speaker of parliament, the opposition politician wasn’t allowed to continue and all DK representatives left the chamber.

The old and new minister of Orbán’s cabinet Antal Rogán got more functions. The propaganda minister will be in charge of intelligence services as well. He already announced that he would use the intelligence services to reduce possibilities of the remaining free media to operate, he declared that he would not tolerate reporting or opinion contradicting the state party’s propaganda lies.

In the meanwhile Orbán works well as Putin’s puppet in the EU. Besides declaring yesterday in Serbia again that all sanctions against Russia are useless, he announced again that he won’t allow the EU to ban Russian oil imports. Now in May only the pipeline from Russia would allow imports, in April he still ensured that everything would be fine, since enough oil could arrive through a pipeline from Croatia as well. But now in May this doesn’t work, because he tries to blackmail the EU for more payments, while the EU started the procedure to limit financing the Hungarian dictator.

When talking about Croatia, there Orbán didn’t make friends either. He uttered that imports are possible from Russia only, because Hungary has been taken away the ports on the Croatian coast. Again he had proven that he has no clue about history either, since the Croatian coast was never Hungarian, because Croatia has been regarded as a state of it’s own as well, when under the same crown as Hungary, it was never a integrated part of Hungary. BTW, what happened to the part of the Trieste port, Orbán bought?

And Orbán’s spineless puppet did the same after taking office as president of the republic with Romania as well. The Romanian government did not accept that a foreign head of state would represent Romanian citizens living in Romania against the Romanian state. The regime is making new friends everywhere.

Only the far right part of American republicans were happy during the CPAC congress held in Budapest. They are obviously not annoyed by Orbán’s love affair with Putin. They are happy with Orbán’s gay bashing, his mentioning of the racist grand replacement story, and of course most important that Orbán expects that Trump will take over in 2024 again, as he wants to take over the EU earlier that year in the elections for the EU parliament. Just as he did already in 2019 BTW.

In the meanwhile Hungary is expecting serious financial problems, the people are not only feeling the inflation running away, they are told that the pension age should become higher, that state price dictates could end soon, that the Ukraine (!) and EU would damage our economy…. And Orbán is giving our remaining wealth to his cronies in accelerating speed. Of course nothing will be left for teachers, it is in opposite planned to make it more difficult for them to fight for earning a decent living.

I for my part had enough of the regime already 2 years ago and wanted to leave. Closed borders and pandemic measures have delayed my plans and last summer I decided to give the opposition a chance for a change. Wasted time. In the last weeks I have found a new home abroad, right now I am very busy with some renovations before I finally can relocate. As son of a displaced Hungarian, born in the diaspora, who decided to live in Hungary when it became a democracy, I will – although not legally, but factually – end up as a refugee from Orbán’s Hungary. I seriously think to return my Hungarian passport to Orbán’s spineless puppet to demonstrate that I am no longer willing to take part in the fascist zoo he created.

All this explains that I have hardly any time to write on this blog. If you have a look back to Hungarian Spectrum I offered to create a platform if there would be a demand and – most important – input. I started writing and bad enough only a very few others decided to contribute to Hungarian News as well. If others want to publish at this place I will be happy to do so, but as I initially said this would not be a one man show and it turned out that by other commitments and changes in my life it even can’t be. It is up to you whether this blog will pass away or not.

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Robert
Robert
May 22, 2022 11:53

Thanks for your explanation and good luck in your new home in another country.

Theestampe
Theestampe
May 22, 2022 12:35

What else is there to add? Indeed, the prospects for Hungary look grim and that’s an understatement. I have always wondered how Hungarians having lived abroad in democratic, more advanced countries could relocate in Hungary. My wife will always feel Hungarian in her heart, yet she doesn’t conceive going back to live full-time there. Beyond the state of the country, it’s the mentality of people which disturbs her, their apathy, lack of ambition to change their world for something better that they would all deserve. So I fully understand your decision.

In regards to your blog, I can only congratulate you for trying to take over Eva’s task of keeping non-Hungarian speakers informed of what’s happening in Hungary. I am wondering what the readership of hungarian.news is – do you have statistics to share? I still tune in every day to see if there is any new article and read the latest comments. I now look to other sources as well, mostly Twitter and a very few online publications, one of which is behind a paywall and in French. As far as content goes, I have to say both Eva’s and your blogs are interesting not only because of the articles published but also the discussion between readers in the comment section. I believe that while limited, You did manage to have a small community of readers ready to engage extensively – quite an achievement for such a recent blog! I remember that Eva mentioned that it took years to get to such level. So again, hats off to you István!

Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 22, 2022 13:42

I have always enjoyed reading you even back when you appeared on PL. But PL has died like many other blogs about Hungary like Hungarianvoice who probably writes at magyar hang today. Maybe one day HV will be the last fighter for democracy in Hungary after he fought so fervently for Orban’s Fidesz. He wanted to get a conservative Hungary he got a fascist one. I told him so, nationalism inevitably leads to fascism at some point and that is what we have in Hungary.

I wish you all the best and especially health and thank you for the proof of decency. 

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 22, 2022 14:39

István, thanks again for your efforts!
I’ve been commenting here because I still care for Hungary and especially my wife and her family, very nice people, who are no friends of O1G but have to manage somehow.
I also understand that you’re leaving and can’t invest too much time, which is a pity.
STEVEN NELSON is also trying to inform us about what’s going on here, I read his news regularly – actually there’s been an overlap with your blog:
https://hungarianpolitics.com/

Istvan (Chicago)
Istvan (Chicago)
May 22, 2022 16:07
Reply to  wolfi7777

Eva did an absurd amount of research for her blog, whether or not one agreed with her posts. It had to have been at least a five hour a day job for her and if one takes into consideration the time she spent listening to Hungarian media and watching Hungarian TV likely even more. Eva seems to have lived in a Hungarian bubble within the USA. So I understand totally not trying to replicate what she did.

Given this reality I will no longer post on this blog. Below is my last post and I wish all of you the best.

Robert
Robert
May 22, 2022 16:47

Many thanks for this. However, your posts are so informative that I am sure we all hope that you will reconsider and carry on.

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 22, 2022 21:30

Istvan, I’m really sorry you feel this way.
Of course nobody could replace our dear Eva but I find it important that sane voices from all over the world continue this discussion.
Maybe we can find another structure/concept if it is too much for István?

Reader
Reader
May 23, 2022 09:19
Reply to  wolfi7777

…. even though I have only posted recently, i have followed this blog and its forerunner for some years, I share Wolfi’s view and hope that we can find a way of taking the blog forward… I will help if i can…

Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 22, 2022 23:42

“Eva did an absurd amount of research” me too … and I am just a stupid German living in his non-military bubble. I have nothing against the military bubble as long as she doesn’t claim I live in another bubble. Eva’s bubble was the history especially the one from her home country in a light spectrum for left conservative and right. I think the bubble is very big.

jan
jan
May 23, 2022 18:11
Reply to  Don Kichote

Agree

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 23, 2022 19:25
Reply to  jan

Of course, no one can replace her, her knowledge and her wisdom.
But we might try.

jan
jan
May 23, 2022 23:26
Reply to  wolfi7777

I would say I agree with Don´s opinion that someone living in a military/catholic bubble shouldn´t place others, in this case professor Balogh, in a bubble, in this case a “Hungarian” bubble.
When I look who paid professor Balogh respect after her death, in my opinion naming this a bubble is misplaced to say the least.
I think that was what Don wanted to express.

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 24, 2022 14:49

American political scientist Jan Werner Müller has a scathing report on CPAC in Budapest and the US right wing:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/24/the-american-right-is-whitewashing-hungarys-nasty-autocratic-regime
the land of the Magyars became an anti-liberals’ Disneyland

Istvan (Chicago)
Istvan (Chicago)
May 22, 2022 16:22

Telex the other day ran an extensive report about a roundtable discussion on Thursday afternoon last week organized by the U.S. Embassy in Budapest about the war in Ukraine (https://telex.hu/kulfold/2022/05/20/ukrajna-oroszorszag-haboru-panel-racz-jojart-dillard-nepop-kreko-zoldi-dezinformacio ). It was obviously an attempt by my government to begin to create a counter-narrative in Hungary to the official position of Fidesz and the Orban government of strategic limited support for Ukraine while opposing weapons shipments across the border.

The panel presenting to a very small audience was introduced by the Ukrainian ambassador to Hungary and the US Chargé d’Affaires in Hungary, Marc Dillard. I am glad we are doing at least this, but much more needs to be done in Hungary at the level of promoting a counter-narrative on the war in Ukraine. 

The panels were decidedly pro-NATO as would be expected at a US sponsored event. The first panel featured András Rácz and Krisztián Jójárt, employees of the NKE Strategic Defense Research Institute and György Ilyash, a researcher at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and Trade. One speaker called in from Ukraine also and honestly made one of the most honest criticisms of Hungarian media propaganda which according to the Telex reporter was: “Half-truths often arise in the Hungarian media, such as the fact that the war is only prolonging in Ukraine due to the military help of Western countries. Yes, but what is the alternative? ” 

Krisztián Jójárt followed up by discussing half truths appearing in the Hungarian media one of which was that some people are sounding the alarm that war could reach nuclear levels in Ukraine stating: “In my opinion, although Russia is being muscular with such statements, they will not use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine. They just want to test Western public opinion as they did during the Cold War – they will be less supportive of Western arms transfers in the face of a nuclear threat.” 

I of course do not agree with Jójárt because it assumes rationality on the part of Putin that may not be there. Moreover Jójárt’s analysis did not take into consideration how a tactical nuclear attack could be used to try and force a Ukrainian surrender under the condition that NATO and the USA would not respond with a tactical nuclear attack on Russian forces in Ukraine. President Biden’s comments at the onset of this war indicated he is deeply fearful of escalation into what he called “world war III.” In my opinion the professional US military establishment has pushed Biden deeper and deeper into supporting the war effort against Russia as it became more and more obvious that Russia’s ability to seize Ukraine via a ground war was faltering and we could effective eliminate or radically reduce one the two great threats to our country, the other being China. When it comes to a US tactical nuclear response to a possible Russian attack on Ukraine all the power lies with Biden based on US law. President Biden has the unreviewable, unquestionable authority to launch a strike on his own constitutional authority as the Commander in Chief.

Then Jójárt and András Rácz according to the Telex report explained that although Ukraine could win the war against Russia – in fact, it has already won in many ways – it must be prepared to suffer territorial losses. Effectively they argued Russia could maintain control over the Azov coast linking Russian controlled Donbas by land to Russian annexed Crimea and there this conflict might sit. There are many worse possible scenarios than that one, including on going endless warfare by the Ukrainians to take back territories after various pauses in the war.

There is also the possibility that Putin will after an extended pause and a greater mobilization of resources in Russia including a much expanded military draft will resume the offensive against Kyiv. But in my opinion the use of tactical nuclear weapons remain on the table for Putin who has apparently taken much greater personal control over the war. My country established the prescient of using limited nuclear attacks on a country at war to force a surrender in the case of Japan during WWII. There is no reason to believe Putin would not use the same logic as President Truman did back then.

Jójárt, Rácz, and Ilyash all agreed that part of the current Russian strategy was to bleed Ukraine slowly, and its goal is to put the population in the most deprived position possible. Essentially in order for Ukraine to survive the war a new Marshall Plan for Ukraine would have to be created in the long run. Now let’s be clear, no one in the Biden administration has revealed such long term thinking and since the bulk of the costs for such a Marshall plan would have to be approved by the US Congress and that will be tough going. Effectively their is agreement between Democrats and the majority of elected Republicans to fund the war and some level of civil support for Ukraine is to help effectively destroy Putin and his existing expansionist Russia. But I think there is not consensus on funding rebuilding the infrastructure of Ukraine, unless there is some form of economic gain to the USA by doing so. Most of the burden for a new Marshall plan will fall on the EU, even if the situation allows for rebuilding because currently the Russians are pounding Ukraine to pieces using missiles and artillery so such a rebuild effort is impossible.

The last panel according to the Telex report consisted of Péter Krekó, director of Political Capital, Blanka Zöldi, editor-in-chief of Lakmusz.hu, and Yevheny Fedchenko, head of the Ukrainian fact-finding team at StopFake, spoke about Russian disinformation techniques. 

In general the pro-Russian stance of the Fidesz controlled media discussed is obvious to the readers of this blog. However this discussion in the Telex article was most interesting: “According to Péter Krekó, director of Political Capital, it is “visible” that Russia’s long-term strategy has long been to stir up tensions between Ukrainians and Hungarians: “There was an attack on the Transcarpathian community house, for example, the arson was committed. ” But we can also cite another example of an anti-Hungarian provocation, where the Ukrainian Security Service found out that the incendiary wall stickers published in Beregszász were commissioned by Russia.” (my translation)

So as Lenin once said in the lead up to the 1917 revolution, what is to be done, in Hungary given the control over the media by Fidesz and the lies being propagated by team Orban. Really the only clear suggestions seemed to be a promotion in Hungary of more stories of the misery of Ukrainian civilians and the idea that Russia is a loser so Hungarians should stop linking itself to Russia.

Marty
Marty
May 24, 2022 17:19

I have two recommendations (especially as the state of exception essentially became the normal with the 10th amendment of the Basic Law):

(1) exchange HUF savings into EUR (or Swedish krona, Swiss franc etc,) because Orban and his people are adamantly resisting the introduction of EUR which has only one real reason: they could not depreciate EUR as they can do it with HUF, which means one can expect continuous depreciation and higher inflation in Hungary than in the EUR (krona etc.) zone. It’s best to open an account in Western-EU so that Orban could not touch those accounts and keep your savings there.

(2) People should prepare for a Huxit (though most likely Hungary will leave NATO first). Since Hungary cannot be expelled from the EU at present the process would not be so quick. However, it may be that there will be a new EU-treaty which would simply not be signed by Orban and Hungary would just not participate in the new-EU so in affect the EU would step outside of Hungary. Just as it happened with Brexit there would likely be a kind of transition period within which Hungarians could still take up permanent residence in the EU (or at least in some EU member states) which I certainly will do in such a scenario (especially as real estate is not so expensive in Italy or Spain for example).

So, fasten your seat belts as it’s gonna be a bumpy ride here in Hungary.

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 24, 2022 20:12
Reply to  Marty

Re exchanging HUF for €:
This is nothing new.
Already many people (who have savings …) do this, here near the Danube many prefer to go shopping in Slovakia.
And in the Hungarian West of course people would drive to Austria or Slovenia for some stuff just as Austrians would come to Hungary for cheap gas, alcohol and nice meals.
Thee problem however is hat many people just make enough money to pay their bills – no savings at all!

tappanch
tappanch
May 24, 2022 18:27

Orban will introduce a “state of war” from midnight of May 24 (0 hours May 25).

The Russians are close to winning the war in eastern Ukraine.

Orban is not willing to negotiate about and will veto a planned EU embargo of Russian oil.
Ursula is still talking about the paramount nature of EU “unity”.

What kind of unity?

Since Orban is sure in Russian victory, he is squarely in the Russian camp and will shed the remaining facade of democracy from midnight.

tappanch
tappanch
May 24, 2022 18:40
Reply to  tappanch

In Kherson, the Russian currency was introduced today. It is obligatory for card transactions – and for cash transactions, a

hrivnya/ruble = 2

exchange rate is enforced.

https://t.me/s/interfaxonline

Russia wants to keep southern Ukraine.

tappanch
tappanch
May 24, 2022 18:49
Reply to  tappanch

После этой меры миллионы [….] стали превращаться в сознательных граждан и убеждаться в правильности того изречения, что Россия есть “тюрьма народов”.

After this measure, millions […] began to turn into conscious citizens and become convinced of the correctness of the saying that Russia is “the prison of peoples.”

Lenin (1914)

К ВОПРОСУ О НАЦИОНАЛЬНОЙ ПОЛИТИКЕ
http://libelli.ru/works/25-5.htm

Marty
Marty
May 24, 2022 19:12
Reply to  tappanch

Now it’s really time to take out all of your liquid assets and transfer it abroad, although it may already be too late.

But investment is always about timing, and at present the times are terrible.

Orban now has absolute, full, unbridled power and he is in a difficult financial situation.

That said, the EU will perform its walk to Canossa and pay. Not the original amount, but something very useful.

EUR 5 bn would already cover most of the election goodies Orban paid out.

The EU always gives in in the end and I am certain that it will do so again.

I hope of course that it isn’t gonna, but chances are that it will. Perhaps not next week, but in two months time. The EU is unable to maintain conflicts whereas Orban’s position is rock solid, so the EU will give in and Orban will score another victory. It’s base will be ecstatic.

Robert
Robert
May 24, 2022 19:55
Reply to  tappanch

It is true that nothing very much can be done to persuade Orban to abandon his friend. However, the EU will proceed without him. As to the military campaign it is a long, long way before either side can declare victory. There is however a creeping escalation into commerce of the conflict which is alarming. We are unlikely to avoid WW3 but however hard that will be we can take comfort from the fact that as in WW2 it will be fought mostly in the East of Europe. Unfortunately it is all too unpredictable

tappanch
tappanch
May 24, 2022 20:23
Reply to  Robert

“As to the military campaign it is a long, long way before either side can declare victory.”

The distance between Siversk in the north and Vasilyvka <—- Popasna in the south is only 15 km.

Some 20,000 Ukrainian troops (the best troops Ukraine has) are that close to being surrounded by the Russian army.

https://liveuamap.com/

Robert
Robert
May 24, 2022 20:56
Reply to  tappanch

Serious situation. Thanks for your assessment. Let us hope for better news soon

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 24, 2022 20:15
Reply to  István

I hope we can find a solution together!
A facebook group might be a first step but would of course only attract a very limited number of people.
One of the big advantages of your blog (just like Eva’s) is that every contributor can stay anonymous if (s)he wants to.

tappanch
tappanch
May 24, 2022 20:33
Reply to  István

Hi István (non-Chicago)

You could start each day with an empty article if you do not have time or desire to write.

We can still comment the day.

Are you in Europe or in the US ?

Theestampe
Theestampe
May 25, 2022 08:54
Reply to  tappanch

My thought too. We could all see that even without new posts, we were still checking in and commenting almost every day. Which makes me believe that beyond getting news about HU, we mostly write here because we are a small but active community who care about the country.

jan
jan
May 25, 2022 01:06
Reply to  István

Thanks for giving the opportunity to publish a post.
My problem with doing that, is that I certainly have an opinion and know I want to share about the present situation. My knowledge of the past in Hungary, the politicians of the past times who reappear now, is so below level that I am afraid you would not post my post out of decency. Of course, I would accept any substantial corrections, but am afraid there would be too much.

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 25, 2022 09:20
Reply to  István

Another scathing article on thoughts by O1G’s favourite George Soros:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/24/ukraine-invasion-may-be-start-of-third-world-war-says-george-soros
And that might be the end of Hungary and the other Balkan countries …

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 25, 2022 20:46
Reply to  István

Good news!
Thanks to O1G’s successful politics the Forint has reached a new high:
1 € = 394 HUF

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 25, 2022 21:59
Reply to  wolfi7777

And Reporters Without Borders says Hungary is no 85 in the media freedom index, even greater!
https://rsf.org/en/index

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 25, 2022 17:22

István – Perhaps you could install a flag counter tab to the site?
That would give viewers an immediate graphic representation of visitor activity by country.
Link: Flag Counter – Free counters – Instant, easy and fun!

Misi bacsi
Misi bacsi
May 25, 2022 19:24

Good luck on your relocation Istvan. I respect and appreciate you for being a loving parent to your son and his partner, let alone your desire to reform life in Hungary.

Ferenc
Ferenc
May 25, 2022 20:16

A day in the life… 

NO NO not by the Beatles

but as felt by people in Orbanistan [was Hungary]
through the narrative in OV’s media

“enjoy” and/or try starting to understand it at 
https://orban.media/

source: https://twitter.com/NoYardstick/status/1528930010886725632

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 26, 2022 02:13
Reply to  Ferenc

All according to the Orbánistan plan (The Great Exit Theory).

Orbánistan Media..jpg
Misi bacsi
Misi bacsi
May 27, 2022 00:41

Wonderful. A picture with a brief dialogue such as this is worth thousands of words!

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 27, 2022 03:47
Reply to  Misi bacsi

My Hungarian background and a life in three very different countries prompted a need for “shorter” communication, for survival.
I’m a musician and my drawing skills aren’t very good – but others have those, and they “say” everything with very few words.

Last edited 1 year ago by Michael Detreköy
tappanch
tappanch
May 25, 2022 20:21

German chancellor Scholz:

‘Victory for Ukraine does not seem to be an option. The strategy could be called active waiting. The Germans are cautiously supplying arms, participating in boycotts & waiting for Putin to say his war goals are reached’

https://twitter.com/patrickwintour/status/1529508324202487810

In other words, the German government believes in (and tacitly supports) a Russian victory.

tappanch
tappanch
May 25, 2022 20:28
Reply to  tappanch

Putin’s war goals at this moment are the total capture of 4 regions of Ukraine
(but his appetite may increase tomorrow, Mr Scholz !!):

Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporozhie

Ukaz 304, May 25:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FTmfEQEXsAIUFjF?format=jpg

tappanch
tappanch
May 25, 2022 20:44
Reply to  tappanch

Crimea: 26100 km^2
Donetsk: 26506 km^2
Luhansk: 26672 km^2
Kherson: 28449 km^2
Zaporozhie: 27169 km^2

Putin’s May 25 appetite: 134,900 km^2,
which is

0.79% of the territory of Russia, or
22.35% of the territory of Ukraine, or
55.38% of the territory of Great Britain.

jan
jan
May 26, 2022 13:20
Reply to  tappanch

https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/interview-with-german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-there-cannot-be-a-nuclear-war-a-d9705006-23c9-4ecc-9268-ded40edf90f9
DER SPIEGEL: What is your most important goal in the current situation? Does Ukraine have to win this war? Does the war have to end as soon as possible? Or does Germany have to be spared from it to the extent possible?
Scholz: There has to be a cease-fire, and the Russian troops must withdraw. There must be a peace agreement that allows Ukraine to defend itself in the future. We will arm them so that their safety is guaranteed. And we will be available as a guarantor power. There will be no dictated peace of the kind Putin has long envisioned.
DER SPIEGEL: What might a peace agreement look like?
Scholz: Ukraine will formulate the conditions for a peace deal, no one can do that by proxy. That would be inappropriate.

Theestampe
Theestampe
May 26, 2022 14:48

The Orbán government will oblige banks, insurers, commercial chains, energy companies, telecoms and airlines to pay most of their extra profits into government funds in order to fight energy crisis and to fund the Hungarian armed forces.

This is the first measure Orbán has taken following the renewed state of emergency Orbán has declared this time based on the situation in neighbouring Ukraine – strangely enough as Hungary only shares a relatively small border with Ukraine compared to Romania or Poland, yet those countries did not take such measure. Orbán is becoming more autocratic each day.

The Forint fell by 2,5% in just one afternoon. Obviously, the extra spending before the elections, the lack of EU recovery funds and prices caps on energy and several vital goods not to mention bad management generally speaking have had a great impact on the Hungarian finances. We all know the results of April’s election yet one can assume such spending prior to the election shows that Orbán was scared that the united opposition might do some serious harm to the Fidesz majority in Parliament. I can’t imagine the state of paranoia Orbán must be in and it’s not likely to improve as the general situation in HU continues to deteriorate.

Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 26, 2022 19:28
Reply to  Theestampe

I also have strong concerns that our neighbors will slip even further socially. Those who receive euros will also be hit by inflation at a much lower rate than those who receive forints. All this is nothing if we continue to follow Orbán’s nirvana, the road that leads socially down.

And do you know who pays for all this – we do.

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 26, 2022 20:26
Reply to  Don Kichote

Our neighbour (a very nice old lady – our age) just told us that she has ordered more firewood because she’s afraid that she will not be able to pay for gas next winter.
It’s crazy also to go shopping:
Some shelves are empty, sugar eg is limited to one kilo per shopping, the prices for meat and sausages and vegetables have gone up almost 50% …
Of course this must be the fault of Soros and the EU!

Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 26, 2022 22:44
Reply to  wolfi7777

Usually you buy the wood two years before heating. This heats better and releases less fumes; these gases that can precipitate in the fireplace with fresh wood as soot crystals and cause chimney fires. But what can you do in this situation? With three hundred euros a month you do not have much.

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 27, 2022 05:08
Reply to  Don Kichote

I used wood for heating during 15 years.
My experience boils down to this:

  1. All wood has the same heat-value relative to weight.
  2. A kg. of wood produces the same amount of kcal. regardless of the sort.
  3. Firewood dimentions above 15 cm thickness produce less heat in kilokalories, but it burns slower, stretcihng the percieved heat yield.
  4. Any wood cut into max 15x15x15 cm burns optimally for heating purposes.
  5. Keeping a healthy chimney depends directly on keeping a complete combustion in the fireplace.
wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 27, 2022 09:26
Reply to  Don Kichote

Don and Michael, of course you are right – but in this crazy situation, what is a pensioner to do?
And don’t even think about those poor people who have problems to move around and can’t get to their kazán in time before the fire burns out? Especially at night …
My wife is already shuddering to think what kind of stuff the neighbours will burn next winter and the smell …
I’m lucky here, I don’t get those smells that bad but she immediately closes all windows and doesn’t go out when the neighbours are fighting the bitter cold.
Already in the last years we read about people dying from the cold – well with climate change that risk will be much lower.
End of sarcasm …
Today 28 to 30 degrees is expected, not bad for May. My wife’s son already decided to not invest the bonus that he’ll get from his employer into a holiday (they’ll stay with us and enjoy our company and my wife’s good food …) but into A/C for their apartment in one of those fabulous panel buildings – 35 degrees is a bit of a problem when you’re doing home office …
PS:
have you read about the latest crazyness re gas prices?
You pay the full higher amount but if you show your Hungarian licence plate and papers you get a nice rebate,
I’m sure all those foreign tourists that Hungary is expecting will be happy about this. And the new higher prices for food and drinks will also help …
Or will the effective prices be lower because they’ll get more HUF for their €s?
I still remember the times some years ago in Western Hungary when people were so happy that I offered to pay in € so they could drive to the nearest Aldi in Austria – their parking lots were always full with Hun cars.

Theestampe
Theestampe
May 27, 2022 11:21
Reply to  wolfi7777

The initial announcement was that only cars with Hungarian plates could tank. Of course, the smart Fidesz geniuses did not even consider the tourists that travel to HU during the summer (or the rich Hungarians who register their cars in Slovakia to pay less tax for that matter). Within hours, the government announced the measure would be changed and all cars could fill up at petrol stations but only Hungarian cars would get the discount. Needless to say the EU will not allow this measure. Yet another infringement procedure in sight for Hungary. Sigh

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 27, 2022 16:35
Reply to  wolfi7777

Wolf, you are right about the helpless state of the weakest citizens.
Do you remember the oil-crisis in ’73 and how all kinds of pressed fuels appeared? As I remember, that winter was more or less veiled in a fog of dark and sour smoke. Anything that could be used for insulation was sold out, even plastic foil for covering windows was hard to get. Many old people resorted to living in one small room with a few candles and a kerosene lamp for heat, or simply living in the room that had a fireplace.
I lived in an apartment building wthout central heating. It had an old cast iron stove with a wick-burner for kerosine installed, which I took out and then it would burn litterally anything that could get through the hatch. It worked well for heating water and cooking and it gave off a lot of heat. One of the older neighbors “found” a pile of old worn-out moped tires, which he cut up and used for fuel. There was a small auto repair shop in the back yard, which they heated with used engine oil and old car tires.

Last edited 1 year ago by Michael Detreköy
wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 26, 2022 21:44

Good news from Poland (but not for Fidesz …):
The PISsers parliament has decided to dissolve the infamous disciplinary court. The monetary EU pressure seems to have worked. The crazy idea that Polish law is above EU law probably will be given up – the alternative would have been a Polexit which in the current time seems a bit crazy …

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 27, 2022 04:33
Reply to  wolfi7777

Good news from Poland depend on what they figure out next. Poland adheres to a less confrontational attitude towards EU than Orbán, but their general stance is negative.
If the Poles make a turn away from Conservative (Trumpist/republican) politics to something more in line with the EU on the long term remains to be seen. For now, they qualify for some (witheld) subsidies, which are acutely welcomed, but afterwards?

Last edited 1 year ago by Michael Detreköy
Theestampe
Theestampe
May 27, 2022 11:32
Reply to  wolfi7777

This measure has been rather coldly welcomed by the opposition parties in Poland. Only conservative MPs + a few independent members voted in favour of dismantling the disciplinary court. Judges who were dismissed will have to be reinstated too.

It looks like PiS understand what the suspension of the recovery funds is doing to the country (36 billions euros). Plus, Poland has to pay a 1 million euros penalty each day for not complying with a ruling by the European Court of Justice for failing to comply with the rule of law. The massive influx of refugees from Ukraine must have its toll on the state finances too. At leat, PiS understand what being deprived of EU funds means and they are more prone to comply. Unlike Orbán who would rather drive the whole country into the wall than yield.

Last edited 1 year ago by Theestampe
Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 27, 2022 13:21

The vaccinated Tucker Carlson known for his Trumpism and for “don’t get vaccinated” on Fox News that has needlessly cost hundreds of thousands of US lives was online at CPAC in Budapest. Who wants to read it.

„Greetings to Hungarian CPAC. I can’t believe you’re in Budapest and I am not…What a wonderful country, and you know why you can tell it’s a wonderful country? Because the people who’ve turned our country into a much less good place are hysterical when you point it out. The last thing they want is any kind of signpost to a better way. Hungary certainly provides that. A free and decent and beautiful country that cares about its people, their families, their physical landscape. A great place.“

Hungary is to Trumpists as Disneyland is to right-wing radicals, is´nt it.


Theestampe
Theestampe
May 27, 2022 14:32

Another piece of news Hungary had to illustrate itself with: Olivér Varhelyi, the EU Commissioner in charge of Neighbourhood and Enlargement, is responsible for blocking a 215 million euros 2021 aid package from the EU that the Palestinian Authority desperately needs.

Varhelyi’s reasoning for this blocking is that some school books used in the Palestinian territories are suspected of conveying antisemitic ideas. Some content is still apparently problematic but the books have been approved by UNESCO. This reason has been used by Israeli nationalists for years, so the story is not completely black and white and specialists knowledgeable of the topic find the excuse to withhold the funds unjustified. But as we all know, Orbán is a close ally of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The problems started in the autumn of 2021 when Varhelyi conditioned the fund release to a reform of the school programmes. This conditionality was added by the Commissioner after the text had been approved by the working group in charge of the programme. After a complain from many Member States, the line mentioning this conditionality was removed but in a later version of the text, it was added again. There was a vote in March at Council level which failed to reach the qualified majority needed. Many groups from the European Parliament (EPP, Renew, S&D, the Green/EFA, GUE/NGL) have since sent letters asking to proceed with the file, to no avail.

A majority of Member States have been complaining about the delay. Even the European Commission is visibly annoyed and when Josep Borrell the High Representative for Foreign Affairs tried to discuss the issue, Varhelyi did not bother to show up.

The irony is that Israel is not pleased with Varhelyi’s decision as the missing funds accentuate the dire situation in the Palestinian territories and could possibly lead to an uprising that would hurt the Israelis in return.

And this concerns the 2021 aid package, the one for 2022 has not even been started.

Steven
Steven
May 28, 2022 16:25
Reply to  Theestampe

I do not believe Varhelyi’s words.
He seems to be a good soldier of the active measures, to create chaos.
The Palestinians are the truly great tools of Russia.
The book were probably authored in Moscow.
The teacher are under order to use them.
They have to live in a pressure cooker.
To produce terror.
As Lenin said, prison of people!

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 28, 2022 11:03

Now Fidesz is getting crazy – that idea about different prices at gas stations obviously discriminates against the other EU members – don’t they have lawyers who told them that?
And anyway gas stations will not be able to update their software in time.
It’s getting more and more ridiculous!
But Hungary is already the EU’s laughing stock and it will get worse since the Polish seem to have realized that Polexit is not such a good idea, even if it’s only “soft”.

Theestampe
Theestampe
May 28, 2022 15:31
Reply to  wolfi7777

The level of amateurism in the government will never cease to amaze me. I still remember when Fidesz extended the use of the matrica to major roads. Those geniuses came up with the idea and implemented it without having a closer look and it became de facto impossible to reach certain places where everyone needed to go to without the matrica. The road leading to the Budapest airport was one of them. People became so angry they had to backtrack in several areas. Sadly, Hungarians have no memory and keep forgetting all the bullshit Fidesz has submitted them to over the years.

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 28, 2022 16:52
Reply to  Theestampe

You have a key point about not remembering.
Hungarian civil society is fundamentally adapted to autocracy via public denial.
Grooming through schools and media works perfectly to that end.

Public Denial.jpg
Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 29, 2022 00:14

I would say that official Hungary has cultivated a propaganda-culture of poor taste and lacking in vision and quality – But it works on domestic premises.
In 100+ years, it hasn’t made a difference for the “big Hungary”.
EU-subsidies made a visible difference, for a while, but home-grown politics puts an end to that, after all. Projecting small thinking doesn’t quite do the trick. It’s up hill and the people put in the work, as usual.
It takes more than a hammer and nails to make a home.

Last edited 1 year ago by Michael Detreköy
Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 29, 2022 12:16

Here is another pseudo-intellectual DR. MIKLOS K. Radvanyi who claims that the Republicans in the USA wrongly believe they are like Fidesz but they are not 😀 … Hey Ted Crus and all the scum from Jan 6th and hang Pence all for Trumpism. The racism that plays a considerable role he leaves entirely under the table. For me typical Hungarian and exactly on Orban’s line selective reality. This is Hungary live.

https://www.newslooks.com/victor-orbans-hungary-the-gops-woeful-misjudgment/

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 29, 2022 14:53
Reply to  Don Kichote

Don, come on, this article ain’t so bad! Just look at this:
Short and grossly overweight, with an accent imitating Miklos Horthy the disgraced dictator of the 1920s, 1930s, and half of the 1940s, standing alone at the artificially raised culprit and playing the role of the keynote speaker, the possessor of all knowledge and wisdom, the re-elected Prime Minister addressed members of his exclusive joint stock company, also referred to interchangeably as the Orban Mafia and the National Club of Kleptocratic Nobodies.

Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 29, 2022 15:37
Reply to  wolfi7777

That is ad hominem, that speaks for itself … when I ask myself to whom the text is addressed, I have the thought that he wants to spice up his own reputation among the Republicans. So no real criticism that would reach Fidesz apologists. Eva once published an “open” letter from Radványi to Orban. Obviously, it was also about himself – advertising?, any other address would be ridiculous. Everyone who knows Orbán knows that he is completely unimpressed by such letters.

Robert
Robert
May 29, 2022 20:11
Reply to  Don Kichote

Don, this is one form of ad hominem: “Typically this term refers to a rhetorical strategy where the speaker attacks the character, motive, or some other attribute of the person making an argument rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself.”
If this is what you meant I don’t follow. Perhaps you use a. h in a different sense.

Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 29, 2022 20:52
Reply to  Robert

Yes, ad hominem is used when logical or social arguments have run out or don’t work, provided the other side accepts the logic. Since that seems to be the case, Radvanyi uses rhetoric. … I did not see any real arguments …

Robert
Robert
May 30, 2022 22:02
Reply to  Don Kichote

Thanks

Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 31, 2022 20:39
Reply to  Robert

Van valami panasz, Robert?

Robert
Robert
May 31, 2022 21:40
Reply to  Don Kichote

Not at all. I now understand what you wrote and why

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 29, 2022 16:09
Reply to  Don Kichote

Could very well be interpreted as a political “false flag” media stunt, just to heat things up a little and get all the trolls and their fans going.

Don Kichote
Don Kichote
May 29, 2022 16:31

„The GOP’s Woeful Misjudgment of Victor Orban’s Hungary“ The headline is interesting, the abortion bans come to mind, or the refusal to feed babies or prevent the massacres by closed doors, etc. etc. I don’t know who is worse but to imagine that the GOP is not like Orbán and his Fidesz is grotesque.

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
May 29, 2022 17:05
Reply to  Don Kichote

It seems the Republicans have their hands full, these days.

A Republican's Dilemma.jpg
wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 29, 2022 18:52

Totally OT but I just have to document this bad joke – my wife and her young ones laughed:
In the Scottish capital of Edinburgh there’s the Queen’s Castle where traditionally every day at 1 pm there’s a gun shot fired. And regularly American tourists ask the city’s people:
Oh my god, what was that?
And the answer is:
Oh, that’s just our high school …
https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/see-and-do/highlights/one-oclock-gun

Last edited 1 year ago by wolfi7777
wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 31, 2022 08:06

It’s getting crazier and crazier here in Hungary.
https://hungarianpolitics.com/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hungarian-politics-daily-digest_1
Now everybody can see that Hungary is no longer a democracy but a mafia state ruled by ***expletive deleted***.
And the fun part about which my wife told me yesterday already – I couldn’t believe it:
Hungary sent 500 liters of holy wine to help the Ukrainian church …

Theestampe
Theestampe
May 31, 2022 09:01
Reply to  wolfi7777

Should we see this as a provocation from Hungary? According to Wikipedia the proportion of Catholics in Ukraine is less than 1% but I discovered Orthodox churches also use Holy Wine although the wine type differs between the Russian and the Greek Churches. In any case, Holy Wine comes at the very bottom of what Ukraine needs today.

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
May 31, 2022 21:37

The conservative Newspaper FAZ said it clearly today:
Orbán is Putin’s man in the EU
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/oelembargo-gegen-russland-orban-als-putins-mann-in-der-eu-18070651.html?
And the Forint rose to 397 against the Euro!

Theestampe
Theestampe
June 1, 2022 16:14
Reply to  wolfi7777

It’s only a matter of days before the Forint hits the 400 mark.

Michael Detreköy
Michael Detreköy
June 1, 2022 00:27

Why not talk about what matters in peoples’ lives?

  1. Public health care – Any solutions?
  2. Education – Any improvements?
  3. Energy – Any progress?
  4. Economy – Any gains?
  5. The war – Still in denial?
  6. Big Hungary – Still back to 1920?
Hungarian Despair..jpg
Don Kichote
Don Kichote
June 1, 2022 12:13

1 nincs
2 nincsen
3 semmi
4 sincs
5 + 6 hagyomány az 1 – 4 miatt.

Istvan (Chicago)
Istvan (Chicago)
June 1, 2022 13:29

I think it is important for Hungarians and those living in Hungary not citizens an article that appeared in the New York Times, relating to an issue I have commented on many times on this blog so I felt it was necessary to post a short comment. President Biden published a guest essay in the New York Times communicating to Russia we will be providing rockets to Ukraine that have longer range than what the 155 mm howitzers NATO has provided so far. Those rockets according to US Army officers familiar with the weapons system will have GPS guidance. In that essay he reassured the Russian elite and it’s citizens that the USA has no strategic goal of removing Putin from power or exhausting Russia by attrition. Many retired US Army officers argued giving Putin that assurance was a profound mistake on the part of the President and demonstrates the President’s aversion to risk which invites greater aggression by Putin.

Then the President took up the question he has avoided up to now, the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia on Ukrainian forces and citizens. It is an interesting statement reading: “I know many people around the world are concerned about the use of nuclear weapons. We currently see no indication that Russia has intent to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, though Russia’s occasional rhetoric to rattle the nuclear saber is itself dangerous and extremely irresponsible. Let me be clear: Any use of nuclear weapons in this conflict on any scale would be completely unacceptable to us as well as the rest of the world and would entail severe consequences.”

Last night there was a extensive discussion about that statement among retired US Army officers who are not under discipline relating to the commander in chief’s concluding sentence of that paragraph. In the opinion of many former higher ranking officers in reflects what they call “strategic ambiguity“ in the situation of a tactical nuclear attack by Russia on Ukrainian forces. Effectively Biden indicated he would not order a tactical strike by US nuclear forces in response to a Russian attack on non-NATO member Ukraine. The language used by Biden in that essay “severe consequences” in their collective opinion is far too weak, one retired General argued Biden should have simply written that any use of nuclear weapons by Russia on Ukraine opens the possibility of a proportional response by the USA.

Istvan (Chicago)
Istvan (Chicago)
June 1, 2022 13:36

Here is the official US Army description of the weapons system apparently being sent to Ukraine https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/ms-himars-m142/

Istvan (Chicago)
Istvan (Chicago)
June 1, 2022 14:19

Here is more information about the deployment of the weapons system to Ukraine https://www.forbes.com/sites/sebastienroblin/2022/05/31/biden-decoded-ukraine-will-get-us-rocket-systems-but-not-long-range-missiles/ . My understanding of the training requirements for the Ukrainian crews operating the missiles will be reduced to only one week which is a concern depending on the educational level of the crews going into the training. The US Army requires four weeks of training for it’s himars crews in addition to the basic US Army combat training (see https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/army-high-mobility-arty-rocket-system-himar-crewmember-mos-13m/#:~:text=All%20new%20recruits%20of%20the%20U.S.%20Army%20begin,HIMAR%20Crewmembers%20with%20just%20four%20weeks%20of%20training.)

The officers making on the ground decisions relating to the use of the himars system have a four year degrees in military science that require higher level math skills. Many US officers commanding himars systems Masters degrees in Aerospace Engineering.

Last edited 1 year ago by Istvan (Chicago)
Istvan (Chicago)
Istvan (Chicago)
June 1, 2022 16:05

This Fidesz analysis of the New York Times article written by President Biden leaves out completely his reference to any use of nuclear weapons by Russian against Ukrainian forces https://magyarnemzet.hu/kulfold/2022/06/washington-nagyobb-hatotavolsagu-raketakat-szallit-kijevnek The Magyar Nemzet article did not quote, Dimitry Peskov the personal PR person for Putin. He is reported in the Russian media as having said a lot about the himars system being provided to Ukraine. The Russian news service RT reported this: “Considering the circumstances “we give no credit of trust to the Ukrainian side,” Peskov said. Russia does not believe that the US was acting in good faith either, the Kremlin spokesman added.
“The US is pouring gasoline on the fire deliberately and with enthusiasm,” and American arms supplies “encourage the Ukrainian leadership not to resume peace talks,” he said. Peskov pledged that the Russian military will take precautions to minimize the potential threat posed to Russia by American missiles in Ukraine’s possession.”

An important question in relationship to the Russian precautions would be the use of preemptive missile attacks against the himars m142s coming across the Polish border, which would bring the war much closer to Hungary. The US already has a patriot anti-missile system operational in Poland on its border with Ukraine that could be used to take down Russian missiles close to the border that were not hypersonic. But Orban’s media does not want to alarm the Hungarian population about all of that, after all he has assured the people he has kept Hungary out of the Ukraine war.

Istvan (Chicago)
Istvan (Chicago)
June 1, 2022 16:29

This article https://hvg.hu/vilag/20220601_Biden_Putyin_haboru_fegyverszallitas_raketa also discussed the Biden NY Times article, and also never mentioned the discussion raised by Biden of the potential use by Russia of nuclear weapons in its war in Ukraine.

wolfi7777
wolfi7777
June 1, 2022 17:37

Ukraine is totally worthless and unmiportant to the current Hun regime and everybody knows it – just look at my last link: Orbán is Putin’s man in the EU.
Totally OT – or not?
Because of their racist behaviour Hungarian soccer fans were forbidden to join the game on Saturday but the clever Huns found a hole in the UEFA’s rules:
Children under 14 years are allowed to watch the game – accompanied by an adult.
It seems that around 30 000 children already applied for (free!) tickets.
Might be fun to watch this.

Last edited 1 year ago by wolfi7777
Pantanifan
Pantanifan
June 1, 2022 18:12

I guess it’s a kind of catch 22 situation for Biden. Of course trying to read Putin’s mind is a fool’s game, but my guess is that the only time he might consider using strategic nuclear weapons would be if he felt his own position as Russia’s President was under threat. This might happen in the event of an unfavourable outcome to the war (from Putin’s perspective).
However, the West seems determined (not to mention the Ukrainians themselves) to prevent and avoid a Russian victory.
The result could be a prolonged stalemate, costing even more lives in the long run…