Amerikai Magyar Hírlap, 2014 (26. évfolyam, 1-39. szám)
2014-02-21 / 8. szám
Hungarian Journal Hungary T\irns East as Europe Fades “We have a saying about ourselves: if you have a Hungarian friend, you do not need an enemy”, stated Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, in a late 2013 speech at London’s Chatham House. The quip was meant to illustrate Hungarians’ propensity for self-irony and self-reflection but, looking at Hungary’s politics, this mantra reveals another national trait: staunch realism. Indeed, Budapest has shown its calculated independence from a fixed set of allegiances on many occasions, always aligning and realigning its stances in accordance with its national interest. Hungary is now seeking closer ties with Russia, after signing a 10 billion euro agreement with Moscow to prop up its sole atomic power plant in Paks. For some, this might be shocking. How can Orbán, a former anti-communist activist, choose to shift his country away from Brussels and closer to Moscow? He can, because he is a realist who fully comprehends that the current geopolitical complexities of Europe cannot be assuaged simply by relying on the European Union. So why Russia? Obama’s pivot to Asia and subsequent disengagement from the Old Continent, coupled with the slow disintegration of Europe at the hand of self-imposed austerity and nationalism have managed to create a power vacuum. A renascent Russia only had to step in, using its gas resources as leverage, to occupy the space. Central and Eastern European countries have thus become the geopolitical battleground between a waning supranational organization and a resurgent global power. This tug-of-war has recently been on display in Ukraine, where the two antagonists have been pulling from all sides to gain political and economic sway over Kiev. Understanding Hungary means understanding the political chess game between two opposing worldviews. Like all ex-Soviet states, Hungary shares a troubled history with Russia. After 1989, not knowing what to do with its newfound sovereignty, Budapest moved instinctively towards the West in the hope of keeping Moscow at bay. It joined NATO in 1999, followed by the European Union in 2004. For a while, it seemed that Russia’s influence had waned over the region. As the financial crisis deepened, however, the Union’s attention became increasingly focused on solving the problems plaguing the core Eurozone countries, leaving the other member states in the cold to fend for themselves. This moment can be seen as a turning point in the dynamics of the European continent. The emergence of this two-speed Europe has marked the reversal of federalist sentiments in many member states. Some have fallen prey to nationalistic temptations, while others have tried to seek out alternatives to their economic woes, either by increasing regional ties or leaning back on Russia. Hungary is a very interesting case in point, being a member of both these camps. It goes to show how the internal crisis of the European Union has pushed Hungary into a delicate negotiating act with the Kremlin in order to obtain concrete financial and security guarantees that the West seems no longer able to offer. Orbán has agreed to support the South Stream pipeline, which will connect Russia to south-central Europe. His support for this project meant turning down its European alternative, Nabucco. With parliamentary elections coming up in early April, the popularity of Orbán’s policies will be put to a vote. Initial polls indicate that the ruling FIDESZ-KDNP coalition enjoys the support of 40 percent of voters. Meanwhile, the Hungarian Socialist Party lags far behind with 12 percent. Együtt comes in at 7 percent and DK slipped to 4 points. Even if the opposition parties agreed to support a single candidate in the forthcoming election, it seems that their popular support has not grown. The Prime Minister is therefore positioned to become one of the few European leaders re-elected in the wake of the economic crisis. It remains to be seen whether other European countries will follow suit and cave under Russia’s (or perhaps even China’s) influence. For these states, it became clear a long time ago that their geographical position and size are insufficient to ensure their survival. They need to cater to other powerful ‘friends’, as the EU no longer seems capable of defending their interests. In Hungary’s case, this rapprochement with Russia is merely a marriage of interest, dictated by hard geopolitical realities. Moscow has the money and natural resources, and lacks Brussels’ often patronizing engagement with its Eastern member states. The European elite, through its rigidity and inwardness, has forced Budapest to embrace realpolitik plays in order to protect its interests, relinquishing any false hopes it may have had for Europe. As for Russia, never shy to offer capital or oil to its smaller neighbors in exchange for political favors, a friend in need is a friend indeed. Mark Varga, Hungarian-American political consultant based in Budapest nationalinterest.org Homeless Hungarian hits lottery jackpot Unemployed, in debt and facing another year living on the streets in Hungary, László Andraschek spent his last remaining coins on a lottery ticket. Now the formerly homeless man has a choice of accommodation around the world after becoming one of Hungary’s biggest lottery winners, with a prize of about $3m. Andraschek, whose 630m Hungarian forint win last September went unnoticed until he made a significant donation to a hostel for the homeless this month, said buying the ticket was a chance decision at a railway station on his way to Budapest for a workshop for recovering alcoholics. The 55-year-old resident of Gyor, north-west Hungary, said his first act was to repay his debts, before cycling to a car dealer. “When the car salesman asked me how much I would be willing to spend, I held up three fingers. As I had arrived on a bike he assumed this meant 300,000 forints, but actually I meant 3m.” As neither he nor his wife can drive, the car will be driven only by his children. Andraschek has since bought flats for each of his three children, paid off the debts of his relatives and is planning to travel to Italy, having not previously held a passport. He and his wife, Anikó, said they will invest their money cautiously and avoid the ruinous spending splurges of many a lottery winner. “I have become rich but I have not become a different person. I could buy a largescreen TV because I can afford it, but I won’t buy three because I can afford it.” Having struggled with alcoholism, Andraschek finally quit five years ago and says he “now has no need to return”. The news of Andraschek’s dramatic upturn in fortunes came as human rights activists organised a wave of protests worldwide against a new Hungarian law that bans sleeping rough, in a country that has 30,000 homeless people. Last week alone, demonstrations were held in front of Hungarian embassies and consulates in London, Paris, New York, Vienna, Lisbon, Dublin, Brussels, Essen and Istanbul. Next weekend a Hungarian NGO run by homeless people, A Város Mindenkié (The City is for All), will stage another protest in Budapest against the law, which threatens those living on the streets with a fine or imprisonment. theguardian.com Michigan farmers raise Hungarian Mangalitsa pigs to produce the ‘Kobe beef’ of pork They’re furry, they’re fatty, and apparently delicious. After nearly facing extinction, the Mangalitsa pig is making a comeback in Europe and the United States thanks to the work of Michigan farmers like Wilhelm Kohl, who was among the first to import the pig to the U.S. “They are becoming much more popular in the United States, and for that fact in Europe, simply because people have realized that a pig without any fat on it is tasteless,” Kohl said. “And factory pig production has reached a point where you have maybe less than 10 percent fat on a regular factory produced pig. So a Mangalitsa pig is like the Kobe beef of pork.” A blonde Mangalitsa carcass is roughly 60 percent fat, said Kohl, a native of Austria who runs the Pure Mangalitsa breeding operation with business partner Marc Santucci on a 51-acre farm in Williamstown Township, about 10 miles outside of Lansing. The pig, which is gaining popularity among high-end restaurants and retailers, originally was developed for the rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire some 200 years ago. They dominated the European lard market until World War II. The introduction of cooking oil and modern meat production largely pushed the Mangalitsa out of the market. The Hungarian government maintained some pig farms, but those collapsed after the fall of the communist governments, leaving just 198 Mangalitsas alive in 1991, by Toth’s count. Toth, of Hungary, took it upon himself to revive the breed. He now runs the largest Mangalitsa breeding operation in the world. His native country is home to more than 16,500 sows that produce some 70,000 pigs for the market each year. Their numbers are much smaller in the United States, which has only 400 or 500. Michigan is actually one of the centers for the breeding and sales of this animal, with the other being in the New York and New Jersey area. “A lot of upscale restaurants are exactly looking for this type of meat. On top of that, the cooking in the United States has changed in a way that charcuterie, that was basically unused 10 years ago, is now making a major comeback in American cooking,” said Kohl, referring to the art of curing and preparing meats and sausages. Though it’s popularly used in charcuterie, it can also be cooked. Red Haven Chef Anthony Maiale said he used everything from the brain and tongue to kidneys and liver for his snout-to-tail dinner last week. “The taste is out of this world,” said Maiale, who co-owns Red Haven with Nina Santucci, daughter of Pure Mangalitsa co-owner Marc Santucci. Chefs pay a premium for the pork. While a regular pork loin goes for about $2.50 to $3 per pound at the grocery store, Mangalitsa pork is sold on a hanging weight for about $5 per pound. Part of that is the higher cost of production — a Mangalitsa pig takes about 15 months to bring to market, as opposed to six months at a factory farm, Kohl said. “For me the Mangalitsa, and I think for a lot of people presenting here, it’s much more than a simple pig,” Toth said. “It’s a kind of lifestyle or symbol of living in rural areas and working in a natural way, and going back to our roots...” mlive.com Krisztián Petroczi REALTOR®Lie. #01930388 1.800.CALL.ZIP x 3480 Cell: 310.428.4082 krisztian.petroczi@ziprealty.com Languages spoken: Hungarian, English Neighborhoods: Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz Area, Mid Wilshire Area, Mount Olympus, West Hollywood, Westwood and more. FARMERS AUTO * HOME * LIFE Gets You Back Where You Belong 21st Century insurance customers CALL & SAVE UP TO 18 % ON YOUR HOMEOWNERS DIRECT * NO BROKER FEE 818 981-8424 Sokol Insurance Agency * Lie # 772323 Február 21, 2014
