“Today it is not the big fish that eat the small ones, but the fast ones who eat the slow ones.” — Viktor Orbán, prime minister, Hungary Translation of article “Money is no object” appearing in the April 27th, 2017 edition of print weekly hvg (pp. 15-16). There is no sacrifice we will not make […]

Roma councils in towns and villages are unable to promote the interests of their communities, while the country as a whole is preoccupied with other things. The system that is supposed to represent Roma citizens has failed, and what remains of it is exploited to fleece Hungary’s most disadvantaged citizens. How did it come to this?

Translation of Éva Várhegyi’s article appearing in the May 4th, 2017 edition of Magyar Narancs under the title “Matolcsy’s people among the new owners of MKB Bank: It became Hungarian in all respects” (pp. 14-15) Turning Hungarian in every way The ill-fated MKB Bank has two new owners, both of them Hungarian, and both of them from […]

Translation of Ferenc M. László’s article “Fidesz puts pressure on the airwaves: ‘His strident voice soared’,”  appearing in the April 13th, 2017 edition of liberal print weekly Magyar Narancs (pp. 19-21) The Fidesz takeover of the radio market is in full swing. While Andy Vajna has netted half the country using a loophole in the law, […]

Translati0n of Jenő Böszörményi’s article “The Matolcsy family’s business affairs, part 3” published in the February 23rd, 2017 edition of Magyar Narancs (pp. 10-12) under the title “State-owned private foundation”. The foundation that played a key role in the business affairs and enrichment of the Matolcsy family would be closed down in a hurry. A good part […]

“If we place all the pieces we have of the mosaic of the network of foundations and companies around Matolcsy next to one another, a system unfolds. It involves a party foundation, a second, closely held, state-owned foundation, a privately owned firm, and front companies. It is operated by a close circle of confidantes, and […]

This article describes in detail how the current governor of the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) György Matolcsy used his previous position as Minister of Economy under the first Orbán government (1998-2002) to privatize a state-owned company for himself and ensure orders and revenue. “The model is simple: the foundation which is run by Matolcsy as director […]

The fact that the Russian government is not the target of a strong Russian disinformation campaign can also mean that it is achieving its goals in other ways. Orbán’s strong anti-migration and anti-EU rhetoric is good for destabilizing the EU.  And since eroding the EU is one of the Russian’s main goals, they are pleased […]

Translation of “The refugees: the Hungarian police abuse and torture us” appearing in Swedish daily online Aftonblade on Sunday, March 5th, 2017. BELGRADE. At a small clinic behind the central railway station in Belgrade are visible traces of Hungary’s brutal policies. Refugees with bleeding wounds – those who say they have been beaten by the […]