The leading left-wing daily contends that Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was murdered because of his critical views of the Kremlin, and blasts PM Orbán for considering Putin’s illiberal democracy a role model. Conservative columnists suspect that it was not in Putin’s interest to have Nemtsov assassinated, since his death will be used by the anti-Putin camp. READ MORE
Discussing the Prime Minister’s annual speech to his followers, commentators wonder if his exhortation to work and fight harder will be sufficient to reinvigorate the increasingly sluggish Fidesz electorate, which, despite the defeat of a pro-government candidate in last week’s by-election, is still incomparably stronger than its competitors.
The number one right-wing daily continues its campaign for change in the wake of the two main events of the past month – the open rift between its owner and the Prime Minister on the one hand and Fidesz’s defeat in the Veszprém by-election on the other. READ MORE
Commenting on the commemorations for the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Communism, a leading webmagazine suggests that the spiritual damage caused by decades of Communism still weighs heavily on Hungarian society. READ MORE
A pro-government commentator accuses the left-wing opposition of serving foreign interests by criticising the government’s efforts to enhance relations with Turkey. Hungary has to promote cooperation with East and West alike, he suggests. READ MORE
Commentators agree that the anti-government candidate won the vacant Veszprém seat in Parliament because he is seen as an outsider who does not belong to either the government or the opposition. Thus his victory is a harbinger of a new phase of the game where government candidates can be beaten but the opposition is not a credible challenger. READ MORE
Tags: elections, Fidesz, two-thirds
Commentators agree in interpreting the outcome of the Veszprém by-election as a warning for the government and an encouragement to the opposition. READ MORE
Commenting on the government’s foreign affairs strategy, most left-wing and liberal commentators accuse PM Orbán of selling out to Moscow. Right-wing pundits, on the other hand, defend what they see as the government’s pragmatic and balanced foreign affairs vision. Some moderate analysts castigate mindless exaggerations and ideologically motivated approaches on both sides. READ MORE
Tags: energy, EU, foreign affairs, Merkel, Orbán, Poland, Putin, Russia, Ukraine
After PM’s Orbán visit to Warsaw and his uneasy talks with the Polish Prime Minister over Russia and Ukraine, a conservative columnist accuses Poland of subservience to Washington. A left-wing commentator, on the other hand, believes that Mr Orbán has lost all credibility in Poland. READ MORE
Tags: foreign affairs, Orbán, Poland, Russia, Ukraine
A conservative Roma pundit predicts that Hungary’s Roma will soon become a key economic force. He believes that targeting Roma consumers may open up new lucrative business opportunities in several sectors. READ MORE