Commenting on the planned reforms presented by PM Orbán in Brussels, analysts agree that the Hungarian government has no choice but to take further steps to reduce the deficit after a decade of irresponsible governance. Some, however, fear that the austerity measures will deepen the economic crisis. READ MORE
Analysts agree that the new taxes announced by the government on the eve of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s meeting with EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso will be a heavy burden on Hungarian households. They are not sure however, whether the new restrictions will be enough to eliminate the hurdles preventing Hungary from starting negotiations on an IMF credit line. READ MORE
After the first round of the presidential elections in France, analysts in Budapest believe Socialist candidate François Hollande will probably beat incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy in the second round, on May 6. Meanwhile, they agree in finding him a surprisingly dull and grey figure. READ MORE
Most, but not all left-wing commentators believe that the future President of the Republic will play the tune of the government and will therefore not be the kind of balancing factor the head of the state is expected to be. An MEP colleague of Mr Áder says divisions are too deep for anyone to possibly satisfy the expectations of all political sides. READ MORE
Left wing commentators believe that the European Union objects to the new legal setup in Hungary as a whole, and that is why the road to a credit line agreement has not been opened. One columnist welcomes this kind of “international interference,” but urges the EU to be more explicit in outlining its intentions. READ MORE
By choosing János Áder as his candidate for the presidency, PM Viktor Orbán has shown that he still cares for his one-time co-founders of Fidesz, even if they have sometimes disagreed with him in the past. By implication, he has also accepted the idea that the President will not necessarily support the government on all issues. READ MORE
PM Orbán has a tough job ahead if he wants to foster Central European co-operation, while Slovakia is bent on taking new discriminatory measures against ethnic Hungarians. READ MORE
A left-wing columnist thinks that János Áder as president will be a puppet of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. A right-wing commentator, on the other hand, is convinced that Áder is an ideal candidate, since he has the experience and skills to defend himself and Hungary’s democratic image. READ MORE
As the IMF makes a credit-line agreement conditional on restoring foreign investors’ confidence, a right-wing commentator points out that Hungarians who buy government securities apparently have faith that their country will soon manage to get over the crisis. READ MORE
Pro-government commentators suggest that the government should not cave in to political pressure from the European Union and the IMF, while opposition newspapers warn that by refusing to accept the rules of the game Hungary’s leaders are taking serious and unnecessary risks. READ MORE