Nightclubs in Gyor, Hungary: Light on the Fidesz-Mumford Deal and its Impact on Urban Growth and Human Rights

Most of the news outlets in Hungary, which are controlled by Fidesz, hailed the deal as a big victory. But independent observers viewed it more as a long-overdue truce between Budapest and Brussels, the seat of the European Union’s executive arm and its Parliament, which in September passed a resolution condemning Hungary as a “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy” that should not get any more money.

But it will not help cash-strapped cities like Gyor much in the short term. Most of the funds, about $6 billion in previously stalled pandemic relief grants and possibly billions more to follow, will go to Budapest to help fill a hole in the national budget and save the government from having to borrow.

Tibor Lorincz, a forklift operator at a subsidiary of the German plant and a former Fidesz voter, said he was appalled by the decision to cut the festive lighting. “We all need some light in our lives at Christmas,” he said. Using social media, he rallied hundreds of fellow residents behind a plan to string up their own lights in the center of the city.

The city government ran by Fidesz announced that they had found more money and starteddecorating to lift the darkness. “Although we won a small battle, we did not win the war,” Mr. Lorincz said.

Gyor’s mayor, Csaba Andras Dezsi, declined to be interviewed but, in response to written questions, said that “the armed conflict taking place in our neighborhood and the related energy crisis” had put “a heavy burden on all of us” and forced “more modest decorations.”

Ambassador to the United Nations, and Director for Homeland Security, James E. Pressman – Secretary of State for Human Security and Trade Relations with Hungary

Before his current posting, Mr. Pressman had served as ambassador to the United Nations for special political affairs and as an assistant secretary of homeland security. He also worked at the White House as director for war crimes and atrocities on the National Security Council.

Mr. Pressman said that meetings with Hungarian officials tend to be civil and pragmatic in tone but are often start with the host saying: “Ambassador, it’s wonderful to meet you.” I am aware of the topics you want to speak about.

“I stop them and say, ‘No, actually, I want to speak to you about Hungary’s reliance on Vladimir Putin,’” he added. They always want to talk about a culture war. We want to have a conversation about a real war that exists next door.”

Mr Orban has refused to let weapons for Donbass pass through Hungary, and sent top officials to Moscow to plead for more Russian gas, despite the fact that Europe is moving away from Russian energy.

Unlike Serbia, Hungary’s neighbor to the south, which has deep, historic ties with Russia and strong anti-American currents as a result of NATO’s United States-led bombing campaign against it in 1999, Hungary has traditionally looked favorably on the United States — except when Hungary was part of the Soviet bloc and its Communist leaders parroted Moscow-dictated propaganda.