Dear Reader,

This month Hungarians took part in their first-ever European Parliament election, and soon, more than 700 representatives, from the “New Europe” of more than 350 million people, will take their positions in Brussels, playing a key role in determining the future direction of Europe. In this issue, DT – Diplomacy and Trade, looks into the relation between parliamentarians and the local political process. In light of low voter turnout at the EP election, the importance of coordination between national political scenes and EU mandates will become increasingly important.

The increasingly tense situation in Iraq is also on the minds of Hungarians. This was all the more clear given the recent tragic death of the first Hungarian soldier since the country’s 300-strong transportation contingent assumed its role in Iraq. The debate about the Hungarian mission has become increasingly heated in advance of the June 30 handover of power by coalition forces. In this issue, we also re-visit fishermen along the Tisza River. It was not so long ago that a devastating cyanide spill caused a tremendous amount of damage to the river, and affected the lives and livelihood of many who depended on the Tisza to make their livings. While life has returned to the river, we discovered that the struggle of those in eastern Hungary is far more complex and difficult than on the opposite side of the country.

Will Hungary’s recent EU accession help these people? We hope so … but as DT discovered, signs show that development funds flow slower into this region than more developed parts of Hungary. This month we also look at how Hungary has
coped with the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. While this country seems to have avoided the disease reaching high levels, awareness and prevention should continue to be priority. This is especially true, as many of Hungary’s neighbors have seen worrisome hikes in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, a cause for alarm indeed.

Peter Freed