Ukraine and Moldova get EU candidate status

A conservative and a left-wing pundit comment on the decision to grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. Both accuse the EU of failing to use the opportunity to further its geopolitical interests.

MOL CEO sentenced in Zagreb

An independent conservative fact-finding journalist accuses the Croatian justice system of condemning the CEO of the Hungarian Oil and Gas multinational on trumped up charges.

Botka makes peace with Molnár

A left-wing columnist excoriates the leaders of the MSZP for wasting time waging internal wars rather than channelling social discontent and representing a credible alternative to the incumbent government.

PM shields MOL CEO

Népszabadság thinks the Croatian move to put the Chief Executive Officer of Hungary’s oil and gas multinational on the international wanted list was too rude for the Hungarian government to tolerate in silence. The Prime Minister has been practically forced to stand behind Mr Hernádi.

Hungarian-Croatian dispute over MOL oil company

As the Hungarian government joins the dispute between Croatia and the MOL oil company, left-wing and centrist commentators believe that the Orbán government could defend the national interest abroad only by completely contradicting its own rhetoric against foreign investors present in the Hungarian energy sector.

Croatian prosecutor to interrogate MOL chief as a suspect

Népszabadság thinks Hungary will not be able to prevent the Croatian authorities from interrogating and eventually indicting MOL Ceo Zsolt Hernádi.

MOL CEO likely to be cleared of Croatian charges

Magyar Nemzet believes the corruption charges against the CEO of Hungary’s oil giant were part of the Croatian election campaign and will be dropped soon after the elections.

Hungary buys Vodafone

Liberal authors question the rationality of public ownership in the mobile phone industry, while a pro-government commentator sees the deal as a strategic step which bolsters Hungarian sovereignty.

Government imposes ‘extra profit’ tax on fuel suppliers

As the government slaps a windfall tax on fuel suppliers, a former left-wing politician calls on the government to compensate families for higher fuel prices. A pro-government columnist accuses the Left of demagogic opportunism.

Government scraps fuel price cap

Pundits from across the political spectrum find the government’s decision to lift the fuel price cap with immediate effect reasonable but draw conflicting conclusions from the matter.