By Richard Field
BUDAPEST BEACON: In light of the prime time tongue lashing state news presenter Balázs Németh gave news portals critical of the government during a live news broadcast last week, we at the Budapest Beacon are pleased to finally bring our readers some truly good news about Hungary.
All evidence indicates that Viktor Orbán’s friends are doing very well indeed!
On Tuesday, that is, the day following mass demonstrations across Hungary protesting non-existant official corruption, prime minister Viktor Orbán and Minister of Agriculture Sándor Fazékás, personally presided over two ribbon cutting ceremonies in Fejer county.
In Orbán’s home town of Felcsút, the prime minister took delivery of a brand spanking new cattle ranch owned by local businessman, János Flier. You know, the close friend of Viktor Orbán whose company and family members won the right to cultivate 377 acres of state owned land adjacent to lands owned by Orbán’s father? (What are the odds of that happening!). And to think Flier’s company only needed HUF 430 million worth of EU grants to erect such an impressive looking barn!
The second ribbon ceremony took place in Orbán’s birthplace of Alcsútdoboz where Orbán took delivery of a brand spanking new mangalica pig farm owned by Lörinc Mészáros. You know, the prime minister’s childhood friend who went from rags to riches in under seven years thanks to a string of lucrative government contracts. Ring a bell? The guy whose companies and family members won the right to cultivate over 1000 hectares of state owned land in Felcsút. You know, the humble gas pipe fitter who was installed as mayor of Felcsút after parliament passed a law disqualifying predecessor from holding that position? The mayor of that town where they built an fantastically expensive football stadium next to Viktor Orban’s country home. Not with Hungarian taxpayer money, mind you, but from 100 percent tax deductible corporate donations. Yes, that guy!
Reportedly the “feel good” events were attended by a number of governing Fidesz-KDNP officials. Unfortunately the Beacon couldn’t cover the ribbon cutting ceremonies because the Hungarian News Service (MTI) was the only press invited, supposedly for reasons of animal and food safety. (Evidentally we independent news portals are not in the habit of washing our hands). MTI reports that Viktor Orbán delivered moving speeches about how Hungary is an agricultural country, how agriculture has a future and will play an important role in the country’s future economic development, and that for this reason Hungarians should respect agricultural workers.
What a shame the soon to be unemployed agricultural workers of Kishantos couldn’t be there. You know, the internationally famous organic farm that was stripped of its state lands and ploughed under in a ruthless act of political vengeance after its co-founder, József Angyán, a leading authority in sustainable agriculture, had the temerity to criticize the government’s agro-business friendly policies.
The late András Váradi certainly wouldn’t have missed the ribbon cutting ceremonies for all the grasslands in Hungary! You know, the humble shepherd who was stripped of state lands on which he and his family had grazed sheep for decades. Too bad he was run over by a car the night of local elections. Did you know Váradi was running for mayor of Felcsút? Well, now you do.
Orbán reportedly also said that over the past few years the Hungarian state had invested an “enormous amount” (HUF 350 billion (USD 1.8 million)) in the creation of livestock facilities. He also mentioned that in the coming years Hungarian agriculture would benefit from some HUF 1.2 trillion (USD 4.7 billion) worth of agricultural subsidies (although he evidentally neglected to mention that the bulk of this money was to come from German, Dutch, and Scandinavian taxpayers in the form of EU agricultural subsidies and countryside development grants).
Given the “enormous amount” involved it is indeed reassuring see the prime minister clearly doing everything in his power to ensure that state lands and agricultural subsidies are distributed in a fair and equitable manner to small and medium farms, and not merely doled out to the friends and family members of prominent Fidesz officials.
Orbán also reportedly said something to the effect that, while “foreign investments are also important”, it is “celebrating the successes of small and medium sized companies, especial Hungarian family businesses”, that makes him all warm and fuzzy inside.
Three cheers for Lörinc Mészáros and János Flier for proving that high level political contacts and copious government subsidies are not necessary to launch successful agricultural ventures in Hungary! Just a lot of hard work and a little luck.
References:
http://index.hu/gazdasag/2014/11/18/orban_marhatelepet_adott_at_felcsuton/
http://tablet.magyarnarancs.hu/narancsblog/orban-meguzente-o-barmit-megtehet-92634
