An anti-government author cautions against going too far in criticising Brussels and warns that the government might regret its anti–Brussels campaign if, as a result, EU membership were to become the stake at next year’s election. READ MORE
A left wing daily claims that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is bound to win the sympathy of the voters whether Brussels waives the excessive deficit procedure or not. A pro-government daily suggests that the EU has run out of excuses to keep a punitive measure in place, which in any case had more to do with anger with a country that defies orthodoxy yet remains successful. A business daily focuses on the new taxes to be introduced to meet the deficit target, and maintains that the planned tax on commercials and advertising revenue guarantees further control over the commercial media. READ MORE
A pro-government columnist warns that Hungary cannot be sure of release from the EU’s excessive deficit procedure, despite all its fiscal zeal. READ MORE
A leading left-wing commentator criticises the Prime Minister’s explanation of the discontent expressed by European officials over recent legal developments in Hungary, while a Fidesz MEP thinks Hungary’s policies are being criticised because they do not fit into “the liberal consensus”. READ MORE
The authorities were at least one day late in reacting to the exceptional snowstorm and a left-wing commentator thinks the reason was that PM Viktor Orbán was busy fending off growing discontent with Hungary’s constitutional amendments among European allies. READ MORE
The two leading dailies carry diametrically opposing assessments of the results of PM Viktor Orbán’s visit to Brussels. READ MORE
Hungary’s main business daily carries pungent criticism of the restrictive policies Brussels is imposing on Southern Europe. 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
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
A leading centrist analyst believes that Viktor Orbán has no choice but to use double talk, but advises him to practice this more carefully, while his conservative colleague writes that the EC has over-reacted to the Hungarian PM’s words on March 15th. READ MORE