A conservative and a liberal columnist both find it sad that victims of fundamentalist radicalism outside the Western world receive very little attention. The conservative pundit blames the West for the chaos in the Middle East, while his liberal counterpart claims that ignorance serves anti-immigrant governments. READ MORE
Tags: terrorism
In a comment on the shock caused by the decision of the Swiss National Bank to lift the currency cap which pegged the Swiss Franc to the Euro, commentators on both Left and Right praise the government’s earlier decision to convert FX mortgages into Forint loans. READ MORE
Tags: credit, Forint, Swiss Franc
A left-wing columnist accuses the government of responsibility for the layoff of five hundred employees as Tesco announces its decision to shut down 13 stores in Hungary. His pro-government counterpart believes that the unprofitable stores are to be closed down in a move of financial prudence and on account of the global problems of the London-based multinational. READ MORE
Tags: employment, Fidesz, jobs, retail trade
Tags: tobacco shops
Left-wing commentators join opposition politicians in condemning the Prime Minister for his comments that Hungary will not become a target destination for ‘economic migrants’. A right-wing blogger reminds them – and the US Chargé d’Affaires – of the Mexico-US border fence erected against illegal immigration. READ MORE
Tags: immigration, Orbán, US
A left-wing analyst calls opposition plans to protest against the planned visit of the Russian president absurd. He argues that parties of the Left may legitimately demand to be informed and involved, but opposing negotiations would not be worthy of parties who want one day to govern. READ MORE
Commentators across the political spectrum try to assess the long-term consequences of the Charlie Hebdo massacre. Among other issues, they dispute whether free speech can or should ever be constrained in order to protect religious sensibilities and avert fundamentalist violence. READ MORE
Tags: France, free speech, freedom, islamism, religion, terrorism
The leading left-wing daily fears that Vladimir Putin’s March visit, announced this week, is another indication of the Hungarian government’s Eastern orientation. A conservative analyst points out that Hungary needs to maintain good relations with both Germany and Russia. Another left-wing commentator suspects that PM Orbán may want to revise the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Ukraine. READ MORE
Tags: foreign affairs, Merkel, Orbán, Putin
Left-wing journalists contend that the Charlie Hebdo murders should be interpreted as an act against free speech. A conservative columnist suggests that journalists should show more caution and abstain from provoking radicals through publishing tasteless content that can be interpreted as blasphemy. READ MORE
Tags: France, free speech, freedom, religion, terrorism
The leading left-wing daily slams the main left-wing parties for what it calls opportunistic complacency, as they criticize a far-right politician for his anti-Roma slant. READ MORE
Tags: Democratic Coalition, far-right, Gyurcsány, Jobbik, MSZP, racism, Roma