As the Forint weakens against the Euro, pundits wonder why international speculators are selling the Hungarian currency, and whether its slump is the result of the uncertainty related to the imminent choice of a new National Bank president, and of a possible quantitative easing program. READ MORE
Tags: Forint, Matolcsy, National Bank
Commentators from the left and the right blame each other for polarizing and politicizing issues related to the Roma. They both believe that their opponents use the Roma for opportunistic political reasons. READ MORE
Tags: Bayer, Democratic Coalition, Fidesz, Navracsics, racism, Roma
A left-wing commentator suggests that the energy price cuts will further slow down the Hungarian economy. Pro-government columnists, on the other hand, find it bizarre that the left opposes the price cuts after criticizing the government for restrictions and austerity. READ MORE
Commentators agree that the weakening of the Hungarian currency (HUF) was due to a statement by the Minister of the Economy. One cautions the PM against nominating him for the presidency of the National Bank. Other analysts think recent events have dealt several blows to the authority of the governing élite. READ MORE
A liberal pundit ponders the implications of Gérard Depardieu’s newly acquired Russian citizenship and criticises the government’s intention to keep graduates in Hungary if they enjoy free university tuition. READ MORE
Tags: citizenship, tuition
A left-wing columnist believes Hungary should not appeal against FIFA’s decision to play its next World Cup qualifier behind closed doors as a consequence of an anti-Semitic incident during the Hungary-Israel match in August last year. His right–wing colleague suggests the ruling was unjust and may stir up anti-Semitism. READ MORE
A leading pro-government columnist accuses left-liberal protestors of misrepresenting his position on the Roma, in the wake of the latest knife attack on two young sportsmen in a night club. His editor-in-chief and the owner of Magyar Hírlap promise to be more careful in the future. READ MORE
In an unusually bitter column, a pro-government columnist urges the government to reconsider its higher education reforms in order to give the children of poor families access to free tuition. READ MORE
Pro-government columnists suggest that the government has backed down elegantly, disproving the charges of arrogance and authoritarianism often levelled against it, while according to centrist and left-leaning analysts, the government tested the water of public feeling and realized it had too much to lose on the registration issue. READ MORE
Tags: culture wars, Orbán, registration