HUNGARY, ANATOMY OF A NATION’S SELF-IMMOLATION
The Hungarian nation with its over thousand-year history is in real danger of being assigned soon to a collective rubbish heap, the historical depository of all other failed states. Thirty-two years after its independence from the Soviet military occupation and twelve years under the yoke of the one-party rule of Viktor Orban’s catastrophic despotism, Hungary is marching unwaveringly toward the bottomless abyss of all-encompassing government incompetence as well as brazen corruption. Clearly, Viktor Orban’s government that has prided itself of being the most patriotic, the most caring and most protective of the Hungarian people at home and abroad has failed the entire nation. Hungary’s constitution of 2011, as amended ten times and dubbed “The Cardinal Law,” is a shameful document of an unabashedly authoritarian and despotic regime. Accordingly, the judiciary, including the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, are firmly in the iron grip of the Prime Minister. The educated young people are fleeing in the hundreds and thousands to the West European countries and North America. The economy has been monopolized by Viktor Orban’s incompetent and greedy lackeys. The Gleichschaltung of the financial sector has brought the Hungarian currency the Forint to almost total ruin. The health industry and education have been bankrupted by the lack of financial resources. The opposition is irrelevant. The media are praising in unison the God-like qualities of Viktor Orban and the unshakeable brilliance of the Hungarian people over their allies as well as their neighbors. In this manner, the Hungarian people are meticulously shielded from the miserable conditions at home as well as the realities of the international environment.
Yet, despots have never become wiser and more discerning with age or time in office. On the contrary, their abilities to have an open mind and to conceptualize problems objectively have the natural tendency to erode inside their self-erected ivory towers. Viktor Orban too has created a perfect vacuum for himself, for his admirers and even those who disagree with his despotism. Out Hungarianizing even the most chauvinistic Hungarians, he has filled this huge vacuum with primitive lies and poisonous hatred. His so-called “Hungarian formula,” rejects democracy for “illiberalism.” His illiberalism copies almost to the letter the one-party blueprint of the Communists and present-day Russia, China and Turkey. His “Hungary First” slogan makes a mockery of the unifying principles and values of NATO as well as the European Union. No wonder that he and his government lack any coherent strategy, be it short, medium, or long-term.
The perfect storm has arrived in the form of the European Court of Justice’s declaration that “sound financial management of the EU’s budget” could be seriously compromised by breaches of the rule of law. True to its lying and corrupt mentality, the Hungarian government let it be know through its Minister of (In)Justice Judit Varga that by withholding the monies constitutes blatant abuse of power and unjust punishment by Brussels, because Hungary has banned the teaching of homosexuality in elementary and high schools. More recently, the unity of the European Union has been openly challenged by the Hungarian government for the single reason of extracting the monies withheld. This blatant blackmail has only worked partially. Hungary has gotten concessions concerning oil and gas purchases from Russia but no monies have been freed for Hungary at all. As a result, the Hungarian train continues running uncontrollably toward its anticipative abyss.
Finally, amid the Russian illegal and genocidal invasion of the sovereign state of Ukraine, all the member states of the European Union fully realized the extent of Viktor Orban’s catastrophically destructive illiberal domestic and foreign policies. After he rang out the desired concessions in Brussels, he upped the ante and unexpectedly demanded the delisting of Patriarch Kirill as a subject of European Union’s sanctions. Putting aside the questionable credentials of this Patriarch as a spiritual leader, Viktor Orban’s hypocritical misuse of his also questionable religious faith to prevent the unanimous passing of the sixth sanctions package against Russia, should be enough to convince even the most naive members of the European Union that Viktor Orban’s shenanigans must be ended decisively and now.
Without ifs and buts, the European Union must take the following measures to save the integrity, the unity and the future of this unique institution. First, a special committee must be set up to investigate the use and misuse of European financial contributions to Hungary since 2010. Second, Viktor Orban, members of his extended family, his closest associates and his best friend Lorinc Meszaros must be called before the committee and questioned under oath about the history of their enrichment. Third, the European Union must extend the conditions under which monies could be dispersed to Hungary by demanding genuine press freedom. This shall include the divestiture of Viktor Orban’s family and friends from their media holdings and the opening up of the processes for obtaining licenses to the public. Nothing but full transparency shall do. Fourth, the European Union must strengthen those opposition parties that are genuine and not set up as fake organizations by the government. The constitution and relevant laws must be abolished or amended to create a balanced political playing field. Fifth, the judiciary must be made fully independent.
To those who claim that these measures are interferences in Hungary’s domestic affairs, the counterargument is that without Brussels’ muscles Hungary will remain the poisonous apple in the orchard of the European Union. The choice boils down to this: a strong and healthy Union or the gradual erosion of all the principles and values that generations have fought for centuries to achieve. Indeed, the objective is to save both the European Union and Hungary together.
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