Commentators unanimously find the protracted tug-of-war between the government and the European Union on constitutional and financial issues harmful, but opinions diverge widely on the causes and the possible solutions. READ MORE
In their comments on the Tavares report on the Hungarian Basic Law, both left and right-wing pundits deem it highly unlikely that the EU will indeed sanction Hungary. READ MORE
A centrist analyst predicts that “verbal war” between Hungary and the European Union is here to stay, but no real punitive sanctions are probable. READ MORE
A centrist blogger believes that the PM does not mind criticism from European leaders, but is unlikely to risk punitive sanctions from the European Union. READ MORE
Former SZDSZ MP Tamás Bauer who is a professor of economics and serves as Vice-Chairman of Ferenc Gyurcsány’s Democratic Coalition (DK) party, believes it would be in Hungary’s best interest to be punished by the EU for what he calls the government’s ill-conceived economic policy and “autocratic” rule. READ MORE
A left-wing commentator welcomes the European Commission’s decision to require Hungary to tax farmers who distil brandy. A right-wing columnist find the demand ridiculous and accuses the EU of applying double standards, once again, towards Hungary. READ MORE
The leading pro-government daily welcomes the decision by the ECOFIN to lift the suspension of 500 million Euros in aid to Hungary, and explains it as an open acknowledgement of the validity of the government’s economic policies. Left-wing commentators, on the other hand, believe that the Hungarian government has wasted two years and was forced by the EU to back-pedal on the counter-productive economic strategy it initially pursued. READ MORE
Commentators all welcome the recommendation of the European Commission that an earlier threat to suspend development aid to Hungary should not be carried out. They also warn, however, that the government still has a lot to do in order to boost economic growth and restore investors’ confidence. READ MORE
A right-wing columnist accuses the European left of attacking the Hungarian government in order to restore the credibility of their battered ideological fellows within Hungary. A left-wing analyst, on the other hand, finds that Western criticism is only aimed at defending basic European values. READ MORE
Looking back at the controversial March 15 celebrations in Budapest, a conservative Polish commentator finds it sad that there are no more non-political national holidays, at least not in Hungary. And the contagion has reached Poland as well. READ MORE