Budapest suspended between the East and the West

Hungary made headlines again in recent weeks. The Country bordering on the East and the West joined the EU in 2004, but in its ancient and recent history its territory was crossed and raided by Mongols, Turks, Austrians and Russians, and its economy and its people were subservient to the interests of foreign powers. Nearly 10 million inhabitants, with an unemployment rate just below 10%, a GDP growth of 3.3% in 2014, and growth forecasts for 2015 estimated at 2.5%. Notably, the spotlight on Hungary was above all the recent visit of Vladimir Putin in Budapest, the first trip of the Russian president in a EU country since the conflict broke out in Ukraine. Moscow’s influence. Putin’s trip to Hungary on February 17 was deemed suspicious while a large part of Western press described it as a move through which Moscow “intends to reaffirm its influence on Eastern Europe”. The media equally stressed the cordial welcome given by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbàn. On the agenda of the meeting figured the review of agreements of gas supply from Russia and funding on nuclear energy. But a part of the public opinion turned their thumbs down and some two thousand people took the streets on the eve of the visit to protest against Putin and remind the premier of the bonds with the EU. Hungarian media outlets described the meeting as “successful”, during which Orbàn has maintained his position as an ally of the West” (Nézõpont), thus “promoting his realpolitik without denying the values and the interests of Nato and the EU”. Indeed, Orbàn has repeatedly underlined the importance that the EU continue the dialogue with Putin in order to reach a peaceful solution on the Ukrainian question (a large Hungarian minority live in Transcarpatia) and claimed that EU sanctions against Russia would also damage European economies, which is what is happening right now. The premier’s friends. After Putin, Turkish Premier Ahmet Davutoglu arrived in Budapest – as Orbàn looks with interest to Turkey and to its rapid economic growth, and obviously to its gas supply. A set of trade agreements were signed in view of a gas pipeline from Turkey (for which, however, the internal political opposition claim that there is no money), and Hungary has promised its support to Turkey’s EU membership process. During a press conference Orbán said that Hungary should study “the Turkish formula of success” and made reference to the fact that “in Turkey the family has the highest regard compared to other European countries”, so “if we want to be successful we must take the family seriously”. Opposition parties strongly voiced their criticism: an international coalition of “illiberal, isolated Countries is taking shape around Hungary”, said Attila Ara-Kovács, leader of the democratic coalition. “Hungary is seeking friends among the Countries that nobody wants” and “where democracy is being dismantled”, he pointed out. Criticism also involved Orbàn’s confident approach to Turkey while highlighting the need for concerted action on energy with the EU. A small sign. Local political elections took place on February 22 in the electoral district of Veszprem, western Hungary, to replace MP Tibor Navracsics, nominated European Commissioner. His place – one of 133 seats in Premier Orbàn’s political party Fidesz, with 2 thirds majority in Parliament – was taken by Zoltan Kesz, independent candidate supported by left-wing opposition parties, who focused his campaign on the fight on corruption. The loss of this seat was interpreted as a sign of ongoing diffidence on the part of Hungarian public opinion, along with growing refusal of Orbàn’s policies, who over the past years, counting on a two-third majority vote in Parliament, managed to change the Constitution and adopt radical legislative amendments that the EU repeatedly branded “illiberal”. Orbàn only repealed the proposal of taxation on Internet services when his popular consensus plummeted after protesters and the public opinion voiced opposition to his legislative proposal. Changes ahead? Viktor Orbàn never denied his ideological opposition to the Western model, which he reiterated in his New Year speech in Parliament past February 27. “Liberal multiculturalism is unable to meet the challenges of contemporary Europe”. “The government has relinquished neoliberal economic policy, the politics of austerity and liberal social policy that fails to recognize the common good and refuses Christian culture”, he explained. In fact, Orbàn says he intends to defend the family, religious education in schools and the closing of shops on Sunday. In the meantime the EU stands in wait, not without launching some signs of alarm, while the partial outcomes of the supplementary vote led several MEPs to affirm that “there could be changes in Hungary”.