"Thirty or 40 years ago, the way that the EU and the IMF are behaving towards Hungary would have been described as a classic example of neo-colonial pressure. Unlike Greece, Hungary is not simply being lectured about the need to sort out its economy - it has also been subjected to a veritable culture war. As far as the EU and the Western media are concerned, the real crime of the Hungarian government is not so much its inept economic strategy as its promotion of cultural and political values that run counter to what is deemed correct in Brussels"."What the Western media overlooked was that the corrupt Gyurcsany government was complicit in creating the conditions for mass demoralisation and cynicism. It was this EU-backed regime that did much to unravel and damage public life in Hungary"."Moreover, the Western media overlook the democratic deficit that preceded the Orban regime - namely that the earlier constitution of Hungary lacked any democratic mandate. The pre-Orban constitution was enacted on 20 August 1949 as part of the consolidation of the Moscow-dominated Stalinist regime in Hungary. No one in the EU appears to think it odd that an undemocratically enacted constitution imposed on Hungary by a former superpower should be considered morally superior to one based on a democratic mandate.But then, the EU itself has no inhibitions about imposing its values on to its target audiences. It, too, does not want its constitutional proposals held up to public scrutiny. Sometimes it rules by decree and refuses people’s requests to hold any referenda on EU-related matters, on the basis that the issues are far too complex for ordinary people to understand"."Opposition to the new constitution, and to the Fidesz regime more broadly, has been both opportunistic and incoherent. A placard on the January demonstration summed up the problem. Written in English, it said: ‘Hey Europe, sorry about my prime minister.’ Clearly, the author of this placard was not addressing the people of Hungary but rather the Western media".
Read the rest of Furedi's brilliant piece here for Spiked Online
yes.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSP81Che1X0&list=FL6J81gjYuVN6HIEKX15lovg&feature=mh_lolz
Excellent post. The EU has turned into this Frankenstein like monster amassing all powers unto itself. And, its increasingly controlled by Germany. Big question to consider now - will Greece voluntarily give up its complete fiscal sovereignty to Merkel and the EU?
ReplyDeleteWhatever one thinks of the Hungarian government, there is definitely an issue with the EU and democracy. First Greece, then Itaiy, now Hungary.
ReplyDeleteI am curious, however, what differences you see between Orban and the Kaczynski twins in Poland (apart from the fact that Orban has been more successful in what he is trying to do.)
I cannot remember you having anything good to say about PiS so it comes as a bit of a surprise to see you so ready to defend the Hungarian equivalent.
PS: How are you anyway? Are you living in Hungary now?
PPS: I know you are interested in anything to do with Eastern Europe and oil / gas-- on my resurrected blog you can read a story about Bulgarian shale gas which I have translated.
@ czarny kot
ReplyDeletenot interested enough in some aspects of it
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@Czarby Kot
ReplyDeleteI'm so so sure that Fidesz is really quite equivalent to PiS as, though it has 'populist' appeal and is conservative, it is could be regarded as more Gaullist or conservative liberal than merely populist nationalist in the way PiS is.Remember that PiS tend to make lots of anti-EU noises but have never substantially stood up to it. Orban has which is why he was demonised.