PM Orbán’s clarification that he is not seriously considering the reintroduction of death penalty, provokes a conservative columnist to wonder what purpose the whole dispute over the issue served. READ MORE
Liberal commentators accuse Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of co-opting the rhetoric of the radical nationalist Jobbik party, by calling for the death penalty to be ‘kept on the agenda’. A pro-party government lawyer believes that the government cannot simply ignore the ‘majority view’ which he believes would support its reintroduction. READ MORE
In a first analysis of the objections raised by the European Commission against the Hungarian-Russian agreement on the extension of the Paks nuclear power station, a fact-finding journalist believes this does not necessarily represent a final veto, but further objections are already on the Brussels assembly line. READ MORE
Commenting on the government’s foreign affairs strategy, most left-wing and liberal commentators accuse PM Orbán of selling out to Moscow. Right-wing pundits, on the other hand, defend what they see as the government’s pragmatic and balanced foreign affairs vision. Some moderate analysts castigate mindless exaggerations and ideologically motivated approaches on both sides. READ MORE
Commentators wonder if the agreement reached by Europe, Russia and Ukraine in Minsk can be implemented and if it can prevent the escalation of the Ukraine crisis. READ MORE
As PM Orbán elaborates his thoughts on immigration, a pro-government columnist agrees with him that intra-EU movements cannot be considered as migration. A left-wing columnist, on the other hand, criticizes PM Orbán for identifying the Charlie Hebdo murderers as immigrants. READ MORE
A left-wing commentator predicts that despite all the challenges facing the European Union it will not break-up, and 2015 will not bring major setbacks to the process of European integration. READ MORE
A conservative columnist believes that Hungary has gained a unique opportunity to increase economic output through access to EU funds, while her sovereignty has also increased through EU membership. Another conservative analyst, however, accuses the European Commission of serving business interests rather than EU citizens. READ MORE
Left-wing analysts accuse the government of dismissing every internal and external criticism of its work as an attempt to curb Hungarian national sovereignty. A right-wing columnist claims that Hungarians have a very negative image of the US and the EU. READ MORE