Dear Reader,

This month the Hungarian government woke up to the fact the economy is in need of important reforms. And while there are hopes European Union membership will bring with it new opportunities, structural reforms will have to initially come from within. A leaner and more efficient government is a place to start, as Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy mentioned in his recent nation address.

Our first feature article this month deals with how we got here, and the tough task ahead for Hungary’s newly appointed Finance Minister Tibor Draskovics.

In this month’s DT – Diplomacy and Trade, we also feature an interview with Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, who, among other things, speaks about difficult agricultural reforms undertaken when his country joined the EU. Hungarian farmers, as you will read in a subsequent article, are likely to experience similar challenges upon Hungary’s EU accession later this year.

In this issue, we also deal with some of the target areas of upcoming reforms. While the finance minister has announced changes to the health-care system, you will read about a medical system gone awry – regardless of a lack of funding – which must institute a user-friendly, patient-oriented system to avoid unnecessary tragedies.

In the meantime, our reporters have looked into the struggle to form a democratic government in Serbia, in the face of the increasing power of radical forces. We have also looked into the controversy of the Czech Republic’s strategy to expand their nuclear reactor at Temelin.

We also deal with Hungary’s struggle to define an image it wants to portray to the outside world. With many Europeans having little or no information about Hungary, the challenge is a difficult one. Experts suggest, as you will read, that a long-term strategy is part of the solution.

Peter Freed
Publisher