Hungarian Politics

[Tamas]

And the example WILL be followed in the region. The leftie Slovakian PM is already saying shit like his country's NATO membership is reminding him of the 1968 happenings.

WTF?  First we have Austrians calling USA a great Atheistic destroyer of Pious Christian Euroland and now this.  Is saying things so obviously insane that they just create confusion rather than offense being exported from Russia at an alarming rate or something?

I think it is about channelling dissent. These guys are fucking up the economy (Orban for sure, I am just assuming on Slovakia), and they need to shift blame from the real culprits, their own leftist short sighted policies.

[Sheilbh]

I think it is about channelling dissent. These guys are fucking up the economy (Orban for sure, I am just assuming on Slovakia), and they need to shift blame from the real culprits, their own leftist short sighted policies.

The Tatra Tiger's calmed down a bit. But it's still doing well around 75% of EU average now and, of course, they've joined the Euro

Edit: And it's worth saying this leftie PM is the guy who was in charge during much of the Tiger period and when they joined the Euro. /Edit

And Fico's comments require a bit of context. It wasn't about NATO membership. It was in the course of discussing permanent NATO bases in Eastern Europe - which the Czech Republic rejected for Czech territory - and Fico said Slovakia also didn't want any foreign troops stationed permanently stationed on their territory because of 1968. As he put it 'this topic is incredibly sensitive for us'. Which is, I think, a fair comment.

[Tamas]

I think it is about channelling dissent. These guys are fucking up the economy (Orban for sure, I am just assuming on Slovakia), and they need to shift blame from the real culprits, their own leftist short sighted policies.

The Tatra Tiger's calmed down a bit. But it's still doing well around 75% of EU average now and, of course, they've joined the Euro

Edit: And it's worth saying this leftie PM is the guy who was in charge during much of the Tiger period and when they joined the Euro. /Edit

And Fico's comments require a bit of context. It wasn't about NATO membership. It was in the course of discussing permanent NATO bases in Eastern Europe - which the Czech Republic rejected for Czech territory - and Fico said Slovakia also didn't want any foreign troops stationed permanently stationed on their territory because of 1968. As he put it 'this topic is incredibly sensitive for us'. Which is, I think, a fair comment.

No it is not. It is directly drawing a comparison between the USSR occupation and NATO bases. Which is ridiculous. And IIRC it was the liberals who ruled during most of the upturn of Slovakia's economy. Which, btw, is based on offering cheap labour to German car factories, so isn't really about some fundamental change, just a bunch of big investments in a tiny county.

[Sheilbh]

No it's not. They're (Czechs and Slovaks) not saying that NATO's just like the Warsaw Pact and will force troops onto their territory or overthrow governments. They're saying 1968 makes them very sensitive about foreign troops on their soil, so they don't want them. That's fine. Though it's probably also conditioned by the fact that they probably feel safer than the rest of EU CEE.

The liberals passed a lot of important reforms but a million reforms don't matter if they don't build a new consensus. They have. The Left's been in charge for six of the eight years since the reform ministry and have reaped those rewards (common theme of structural reform, the political beneficiary is normally the guy after you: Blair, Merkel, eventually someone in the Eurozone).

Edit: Incidentally he was echoing the (liberal) Defence Minister of the Czech Republic (later slapped down by the leftie PM) when he said 1968 had created 'psychological problems' for his country accepting foreign troops.

[Tamas]

I would think the Slovakian left has been reaping the rewards of the liberals' work.

And I don't care if "foreign troop scare" is a popular feeling there. It is still moronic.  And I suspect all East Euro politician who is throwin barriers against anti-Russian actions.

[Valmy]

So long as we have our legions of Slovakians to die for us we don't need bases.

[Tamas]

Also, if a politician is not able/willing to explain the differences between a foreign power forcefully occupying their country vs. the country's allies taking up a base to help protect against a common danger ARE making comparisons between foreign conquerors and NATO allies. Simple as that.

[Syt]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/hungarys-fidesz-dominating-municipal-voting-26135037

Hungary's Fidesz Widely Dominates Municipal Voting

Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party was the clear winner in Sunday's nationwide municipal elections, with its candidates winning the mayor's post in Budapest, the capital, and in 20 of Hungary's 23 largest cities.

Speaking to supporters after preliminary results were announced, Orban vowed to "make Hungary great" in the upcoming years and boasted of winning elections for the third time this year, after victories in the national elections and for the European Parliament.

The far-right Jobbik, trying to distance itself from earlier anti-Roma and racist statements, finished mostly far behind Fidesz but ahead of the left-wing opposition in most rural areas. Jobbik won in nine smaller cities, up from three in 2010.

The splintered left-wing opposition, led by the Socialist Party, was projected to win around five of Budapest's 23 districts, at least two more than four years ago.

With 83 percent of the votes counted, turnout was around 42 percent, 4 percentage points less than in 2010.

Orban won re-election in April when Fidesz secured a new two-thirds parliamentary majority. A July speech expressing his desire to turn Hungary into an "illiberal state" sparked international criticism.

Western nations are alarmed at the way Orban has been trying to consolidate power, including a government crackdown on rights groups.

Orban defends his moves against the independent groups, which represent a range of causes, from women's and gay rights to media freedom and anti-corruption campaigns. In his July speech, he called them "paid political activists attempting to assert foreign interests in Hungary."

In outlining his plans to make Hungary stronger, he cited Russia, China, Turkey and Singapore as examples of countries that are successful despite not being liberal democracies and "maybe not even democracies."

[Syt]

http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2014/10/17/the-us-cancels-visas-for-hungarians-involved-in-corruption/

LOL

The US Cancels Visas for Hungarians Involved in Corruption

The State Department refused entry to the U.S. to several Hungarians because it said they had been involved in corruption, once more highlighting tensions between the U.S. administration and the feisty government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

In a statement issued by Charge'd affairs M. Andre Goodfriend the embassy said the US canceled the visas on the basis of "credible information that those persons are either engaging in or benefiting from corruption."

The State Department didn't disclose the names of the individuals. Mr. Goodfriend said there were less than 10 and some of them were state officials.

Hungary's foreign affairs and trade ministry summoned Mr. Goodfriend earlier Friday to provide information on the cases but the embassy didn't offer information saying it was confidential, the charge'd affairs said at a press conference Friday afternoon.

Neither the Hungarian government nor the ministry were immediately available to reply to questions from The Wall Street Journal.

"No one is above the law," the embassy said. "The U.S. shares Hungary's view of 'zero tolerance' of corruption. Addressing corruption requires a healthy system of checks, balances and transparency."

The U.S. has earlier been voicing criticism of Hungary's policies under Mr. Orban, who said earlier this year he looked up to some countries like Turkey or Singapore that were autocratic but in their own ways successful.

The ministry in a statement issued earlier Friday said both Hungary and the U.S. are interested in shedding light on suspected corruption cases, and to allow thorough, appropriate, transparent investigation in line with the law.

"Hungarian officers perform their work independently of any pressure," the ministry said.

Local news portal 444.hu said, citing unnamed sources, that some U.S. companies that are engaged in business in Hungary were offered participation in state tenders funded by the European Union on the condition that certain advisers would be employed or Hungarian companies involved as subcontractors.

The U.S. government action related to Hungarian individuals is not a Hungary-specific measure, the embassy also said, but part of an intensified U.S. focus on combating corruption as a fundamental obstacle to good governance, transparency and democratic values.

[Admiral Yi]

No it's not. They're (Czechs and Slovaks) not saying that NATO's just like the Warsaw Pact and will force troops onto their territory or overthrow governments. They're saying 1968 makes them very sensitive about foreign troops on their soil, so they don't want them. That's fine. Though it's probably also conditioned by the fact that they probably feel safer than the rest of EU CEE.

It's a hell of a way to run a mutual defense alliance.  Any country that's not in the front line doesn't want to be inconvenienced.

[Sheilbh]

It's a hell of a way to run a mutual defense alliance.  Any country that's not in the front line doesn't want to be inconvenienced.

Isn't the reason they're being asked if they want NATO troops on the territory because they're already on the front line?

I think your comment would be more applicable if it was at, say, Belgium not wanting to commit troops to Central and Eastern Europe.

But that's not the case. Here you've got two small countries who are currently running airlifts in Iraq and Syria, and are still in Afghanistan, who have a particular historic trauma (as the Czech Defence Minister put it a 'psychological problem') to do with foreign troops on their soil saying 'thanks for the offer, but no'.

[Valmy]

But that's not the case. Here you've got two small countries who are currently running airlifts in Iraq and Syria, and are still in Afghanistan, who have a particular historic trauma (as the Czech Defence Minister put it a 'psychological problem') to do with foreign troops on their soil saying 'thanks for the offer, but no'.

Belgium is a large country?  Did they not see our 'Trigger Warning: Imperialism' warning when they joined NATO?

Seriously though what a slap in the face to us.  'Sorry America you make us think of Soviets and Nazis.  No offense or anything'

[Admiral Yi]

Isn't the reason they're being asked if they want NATO troops on the territory because they're already on the front line?

Only if you consider Hungary as the enemy.

[Tonitrus]

At this point, would it be hard to believe that they could be Putin's plant inside the NATO establishment?

[Admiral Yi]

Not that much.  But it would be very hard to see Hungarians facing west if it came to a shooting war.