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Revved-up maverick
Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány poised to bring a new style of governance to Hungary

With far less leeway than his predecessor was afforded, Hungary’s new Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány will need to come up with a some magic in the next 20 months to take him to the next election. It is a true challenge, given the harsh economic realities he faces in taking over the job of prime minister. The challenge is all the more acute for the governing coalition since opinion polls still show opposition Fidesz – Alliance of Young Democrats – ahead by a formidable margin.

WRITTEN BY ZOLTÁN HASZÁN

 
 
 
 
   
 
 



Reversing the flow

A new role for Hungary as a donor country In assuming its role as ‘a relatively rich country’, Hungary is making the transition from aid recipient to a donor. As Melinda Tünde Dóra reports, countries like Mongolia could learn from the process this region has undergone to gain such a status.
WRITTEN BY: MELINDA TÜNDE DÓRA
 
 
 

Restoring dignity to a noble past
WRITTEN BY: CAROLYN CHAPMAN
Monuments to history The castles and fortresses of Western Transdanubia are a glimpse into the history of Hungary. Over the centuries, they have been ransacked by thieves and ravaged by war. It’s about time that these buildings start to get the attention they deserve, and this process is already underway. Carolyn Chapman visited the area, and reports on the history of some of these buildings, and renovation efforts in restoring their monumental legacies.
 
 
 
   





Cooperation over competition
Hungary and Finland increase ties with EU accession
Hungary and Finland, which share the roots of a common language group, are experiencing an increase in political and economic cooperation. This is illustrated by the recent visit of Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen to Hungary, and by numerous ministerial level meetings in recent months.

Nordic know-how
High-tech Finland built on public-private cooperation
Many foreigners venturing to Finland have noticed an acute enthusiasm for new technologies by the Finnish people, and this is not a new phenomenon. For example: on a visit to the Nordic country in 1897, the Spanish Consul to Helsinki Angel Ganivet wondered why the Finns were interested in everything new and technical, including the astonishingly high number of telephones in use even at that time.
 
 


• ANALYSIS: Reinventing Again
• HUNGARIAN ISSUES: Responsibilities of the relatively rich
• TALKING ABOUT: Bulldozing history
• POLITICS: What’s at stake for Hungary in the US election?
• VIEWPOINT: Danger zone
• STRAIGHT TALK: The European mosaic
• INTERNATIONAL ISSUES: Daring to risk
• INTERNATIONAL ISSUES: Bilateral building blocks
• CORRESPONDENT: The hazy gaze of Rafah
• VIEWS AND REVIEWS: The never-ending season
• CULTURE & SOCIETY