Category Archives: Viktor Orbán

Hungarian Government Asks for IMF Line of Credit

Posted on November 18, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

“If the IMF comes back, I am leaving,” Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s prime minister was quoted to say just a few days ago. Since he ascended to power, fierce opposition to international organizations was the hallmark policy of his government, devised both … Continue reading →

Posted in György Matolcsy, Hungarian government, Hungary, IMF, Viktor Orbán | 3 Comments

Controversial Educational Reform To Be Passed in Hungary

Posted on November 17, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

On November 15, with the deliberation of the reform of the public education system under way in the Hungarian legislature, a civil initiative showed up to hold “office hours” outside of the parliament. Their name is HAT: Hálózat a Tanszabadságért, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fidesz, Hungarian parliament, Hungary, Rózsa Hoffman, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Hungarian News Digest – Oct. 28 2011

Posted on October 28, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

The spirit of protest seems to be a dominant theme in Hungarian politics recently: the opposition demonstration held on Oct. 23, which drew 100,000 participants according to organizers, was only its most direct manifestation. In this week’s Hungarian News Digest, more … Continue reading →

Posted in English-language Hungarian news, Ferenc Gyurcsány, Hungarian government, Hungarian News Digest, Hungarian parliament, Hungary, László Kövér, New Theater (Új Színház), public works, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Hungarian Government to Block Opposition Protest on October 23 With Protest of Its Own

Posted on October 5, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

The Hungarian government called for a demonstration in support of the government’s policies, which would practically prevent those critical of the government to gather as planned for their biggest anti-government rally of this year on October 23.

Posted in D-Day, demonstrations, English-language Hungarian news, Fidesz, Hungarian government, Hungary, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , , , , , | 19 Comments

Hungarian Protest Art Competition: What Else Could Viktor Orbán Get His Hands On?

Posted on September 25, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

The election of their government brought them such tragic results that many Hungarians decided to channel their frustration into a competition of an entirely different kind. One Million for the Freedom of Press in Hungary – a civic organization demanding the … Continue reading →

Posted in György Matolcsy, Hungarian parliament, Hungary, Pál Schmitt, Péter Szijjártó, protest art, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Photographers Banned from Hungarian Parliament

Posted on September 20, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

László Kövér, president of the legislature, banned photographers working for the online news portals origo.hu and index.hu from the Hungarian parliament. Kövér claims that the photographers violated a rule of the house which prohibits taking pictures on which the manuscript … Continue reading →

Posted in Fidesz, Forex loans, Hungarian parliament, Hungary, János Lázár, László Kövér, restrictions of media freedoms, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Paying Off Forex Loans, The Hungarian Way

Posted on September 16, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

It is hard to write anything new on the Hungarian government’s plan to fix the exchange rate for loans held by the Hungarian population in foreign currency at as much as 20% below the prevailing exchange rate. I am perhaps … Continue reading →

Posted in Forex loans, Gábor Vona, Hungarian far-right, Hungary, Jobbik, országgyülés, parliament, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , | 14 Comments

The Constitution’s Table – Az Alaptörvény Asztala

Posted on September 3, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

Some things matter. Starting on Thursday, September 1, 2011, every municipal council in Hungary must set up a table to display the country’s newly enacted constitution. The table must be covered by glass, and the constitution on the table must … Continue reading →

Posted in Antal Rogán, by governmental decree, constitution, Hungary, László Kövér, The Table of the Constitution, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , | 30 Comments

Vona Gábor in Romania: “A Life And Death Struggle To Come To The Carpathian Basin”

Posted on August 26, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

Within days after Jobbik sympathizer Zsolt Tyirityán delivered a speech about shooting Jews and persons of color in an apocalyptic showdown between the pure-bred forces of his Betyársereg and criminal gypsies backed by Israeli tanks; within days only after Jobbik-allied neo-Nazi … Continue reading →

Posted in English-language Hungarian news, Fidesz, Gábor Vona, Hungarian far-right, Hungary, Jobbik, neo-nazis in Hungary, Romania, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mandatory Public Work Projects in Hungary

Posted on August 22, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

“We would like to give them valuable and useful work,” said Károly Papp, undersecretary of Hungary’s Department of the Interior, the public officer in charge of Hungary’s public works program. “Workers are going to learn agriculture for a year, and … Continue reading →

Posted in criminalization of poverty, extreme right electoral wins, Fidesz, Gyöngyöspata, Hungarian far-right militias, Hungarian government, Hungarian Roma, Hungary, Jobbik, közfoglalkoztatási törvény, közmunka, munkanélküliség, public works, Sándor Pintér, unemployment, Viktor Orbán, workers rights | Tagged | 15 Comments

Der Spiegel: The Goulash Archipelago – EU Remains Silent as Hungary Veers Off Course

Posted on August 20, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

On Monday, the German-language weekly Der Spiegel published an exceptionally comprehensive piece on the most disconcerting political developments in Hungary that took place during this summer and on the reasons why this must worry the international community, and the European … Continue reading →

Posted in European Union, Fidesz, former prime ministers, Hungarian government, Hungary, közfoglalkoztatási törvény, közmunka, media law, parliament, public media firings, unemployment, US-Hungarian diplomatic relationships, Viktor Orbán, Western criticism of Hungary | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hate Crimes in Hungary

Posted on August 17, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

In Hungary, if you are homeless, you have to pay.  As much as 50,000 Hungarian forint, which is the equivalent of 185 EUR or 267 USD. According to a municipal law dated April 27, 2011, anybody found to conduct a “lifestyle … Continue reading →

Posted in Budapest 8th district, criminalization of poverty, Gyöngyöspata, hate crimes in Hungary, Hungarian far-right militias, Hungarian Roma, Hungary, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Open Letter by The Hungarian Helsinki Committee Asks Viktor Orbán and Pál Schmitt to Condemn Hate

Posted on August 12, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

“The silent man is an accomplice,” starts out an open letter delivered by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee to three of the highest public dignitaries of the Hungarian state. The Hungarian branch of the international non-profit organization that monitors human rights … Continue reading →

Posted in English-language Hungarian news, Gyöngyöspata, Helsinki Committee, Hungarian far-right, Hungary, Jobbik, Magyar Sziget 2011, neo-nazis in Hungary, Pál Schmitt, Péter Polt, Viktor Orbán | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Unbearable Weightlessness of Hungarian President Pál Schmitt

Posted on August 6, 2011 by The Contrarian Hungarian

Sum up the story of what’s taking place in Hungary in one sentence and you are likely to implicate the power dynamics in the parliament for the worrisome changes. In 2010, Hungary’s governing party was able to obtain 2/3 of … Continue reading →

Posted in Hungary, Pál Schmitt, Viktor Orbán | Tagged | Leave a comment