Hmmm. don't think this will cut it with the guys on the commission. Did Graf somehow forget that Hungary was in the EU? Am I wrong about the EU pillars?

Oops, asleep at the wheel and missed the last 2 paragraphs....

Great, protectionism. Just what the rest of the world are hell bent to avoid because it caused disasterous trade wars in the 30's.

Oh well Mr Gráf, thats another fine mess you've got us in to.

@C'est moi: Actually you didn't miss anything, because Graf is saying that if it doesn't work as a "volunatary" system he'd like to impose actual regulations, which I have to assume would run afoul in Brussels. And what will really cook your noodle is that this guy was for a while mentioned as a possible replacement PM, on the grounds that he's done so well in negotiating with the EU to get subsidies for Hungarian agriculture.

If they want to remove the foreign products from the counters, why don't they remove the foreigners from the all country and after we see what's happening in this "valley of tears"?

Once again we see Hungary about to break the EU Rules it AGREED to before joining????

If Hungary never had ANY intention of following the EU 'Cornerstone' Laws why the Hell did we bother joining in the first place......

It couldn't have been for some Quick & Easy Money do you suppose??

Everything that has been proposed above Breakes just about every Eu Law & Code?

Just who on Earth does Graf think he is dealing with??

The EU doesn't do business the 'Hungarian' way.. In fact nobody EXCEPT Hungary does business this way in the Real World???

Again Hungary is about to single itself out as constant law breakers and marginalize itself even further from the rest of the EU than it already has..

The next thing will be a Trade alliance with Russia I presume???

Hungary has to wake up pretty sharpish if it wants to remain in the EU period?

I made a bet with my wife, on the evening that Hungary joined the EU.. I said the Hungary would be the first Country to be asked to LEAVE the EU.

The reason being that it was incapable of following ANY Rules????????

Bacsi doesn't know much about how things work (or don't work) in the EU. Rules are ignored on a regular basis, especially when it comes to agriculture and food production. Hungary has been way too obedient, but for the wrong reasons. Other nations would pay more attention to their self-interests, the MSZP/SZDSZ leadership of Hungary has been busy selling out to anyone in order to fill their own pockets. The EU has done enough damage to the country, it's time to make some adjustments. If Bacsi and his SZDSZ buddies don't like it, it means we're on the right track.

@Anonymous

YOU like most of your Asshole Buddies on here once again make the assumption that YOU know more than everyone else in the World about everything??

It's that studid ass, ignorant and un-educated attitude that has brought Hungary to bankrupcy and a joke in everyones eyes??

Only you'll blamne that on the EU or somebody/everybody else you ignorant twat.

For your retarded information, the EU and most European Counties have given Hungary Millions of Euros to help keep it's sorry ass solvent. God only knows why?

That fact that Hungarian officials have stolen most (if not all of theat money) is obvioulsy the fault of the EU??? It couldn't be Hungarys fault at all?

I mean THEY made the Hungarians steal the money didn't they??

Another point for your Miniscule inteligence is that the thieves amongst YOUR OWN sold out, by deciding (as usual) to do whats best for their own pocket insted of the rest of Hungary.

You are a sad stereotype A BIG-HEADED HUNGARIAN..

WAKE UP YOU ASSHOLE..........

You wouldn't know your own Ass from your Elbow!!!

Everybody else in the EU (and probably the World) is laughing themselves silly at the ignorance and pride of this country.

They already think Hungarians are stupid..

Why YOU insist on PROVING it at every opportunity is beyond comprehension.

If you haven't got any adult comments to make then just drag your knuckles back to your cave..

Hungary makes it's own rules about everything..

Again?

Wow, bacsi, take a break before you bust an artery. So much hate is not good for you.

@Anonymous

That's NOT the voice of hate.That's a wake up call for you and whoever else thinks in the same stupid way as you.

Hungary has already bankrupt itself through the Greed of so called 'trusted' people.

If there is any HATE in what I say, it's that I HATE to see a whole nation of people 'Screwed Over' by a select few that are being ALLOWED to get away this 'Great Deception'..

I cannot believe that the Hungarian people turn a blind eye to what has been happening since the Russians left.

This Country hasn't moved forward at all in those 20 years and it's because NOBODY in Hungary has had the sence of Decency, Duty and Desire for the Common Good of Hungary!!!

HATE...... Yes.. I'd HATE for Hungary to still be in this PIT in 10 years time??

I'd HATE for us or anyone else to be having this POINTLESS Arguement again..

It's 100% TRUE that not ALL EU Rules are GOOD for EVERYONE..

That's Obvious. But overall the rules are there for the common good of everyone and in the main, they work.

YOU are RIGHT to say that Rules are 'Ignored on a Regular Basis'..

What you don't understand is that The EU has to then spend Time an Money taking the Rule Breakers through the European Court.

Hungary is currently being taken to Court by the EU for countles violations of the EU Pillar/Cornerstone Laws, which Hungary AGREED to and SIGNED to uphold.

This kind of Law Breaking is a VERY Hungarian habit that we would do well to try and Break..

Mr Bacsi,
It is pleasant for me (who is a stranger in a strange land) to hear one of their own kind telling his fellow countrymen the home truth about themselves. I have noticed that your fellow countrymen seldom listen and never heed what a stranger, no matter how skilled or knowledgeable, is saying. They know everything about everything. They think that they are 'Global Experts' and an Expert as we all know is one who knows more and more about less and less until he knows all about nothing. you say "
Hungary is currently being taken to Court by the EU for countles violations of the EU Pillar/Cornerstone Laws, which Hungary AGREED to and SIGNED to uphold". They never seem to learn!

Hmm I suppose we will have to drink less coffee/tea unless they grow it here, also less salads stuff in the winter,also most of the spuds we buy are not grown here , and far too many other things too numerous to mention.

Wow, finally a constructive and very relevant argument about the current state of affairs in this country. I fear that Bacsi is right in bashing Anonymous and his arguments highlight the deeply flawed attitude that Hungarians seem to embody. I just has a conversation with my very Hungarian parents the other day about how we have gone from being a nation that demanded more respect in the west than every other eastern European country to the laughing stock of the world.

I know it is really sad, but as a hugely naive optimist I believe that things can be turned around. However, it will take a large amount of effort and a definite 'take you your heads out of our asses' to accomplish this. Working in a Hungarian environment for the first time in a long while, I have serious doubts that this will happen anytime soon.

What a ridiculous, idiot, unlawful step from the Minister. Time for "magyar narancs" again??? I was in Italy for Easter: in a small city's market (open air) I bought 10kg of delicacies: half I cannot find here at all (artichokes? do they even have a name in hungarian?), half you can find at Culinaris paying double price or more. I guess "small" retailers like Culinaris will not be subject to this possible restriction, but as somebody pointed out already, if you consider most fruit, all tea and coffee, seafood (even canned tuna!) good pasta and many foreign wines, very little space is left to fill the "allowed" 20% in the big shops. So we will see even less eatable stuff around? These people are really too idiot to believe. What a useless bunch of arrogant primitives they are, hungarians... If this proposal goes ahead, let them eat the 10 linear meters of virsli exhibition that their food chains proudly show, and let's make a buyers' group. We put all orders together and I will make 1 or 2 monthly trips to Tarvisio, Italy, and stuff my car with everything we need. Benzin+1 night in hotel = 200 eur. If we buy just 300 eur food we are already saving some money, and eating well every day. For hungarians, google has 64.000 pages of "virsli receptek". Urrrggghhh.

By the way, fish should be our primary food: look at this new research that confirms something Mediterranean people have known for ages

http://health.yahoo.com/news/reuters/us_fish_boys.html

No wonder there are so many idiots here, and every day even more so...

And there we have it: a "useless bunch of arrogant primitives".

Oh do tell us, Great White Chieftain, what we useless bunch of arrogant primitives should do to better ourselves and learn your superior ways. Please! After you told us subhumans like it is, we are *eagerly* anticipating your further wisdom.

that tesco and auchan sell primarily hungarian garbage is well known. waste of time going to these hypermarkets as they are just miles of shelves of the same crap you can get at any litle magyar shop. the Match in west end city center started making an effort to import some decent food, but now it looks like they will have to stop. This will have a really pathetic impact to quality of life in budapest!!!!!!!

Really never ceases to amaze me what can happen here....

Here I am in the US, looking at this isolationist view, and I can't help but compare it with the right wing nutjobs over here that feel the same way, that are yelling "Buy American!" I would have hoped that officials in Hungary would have at least a little more sense and understand the importance of international import/export, especially after joining the EU. As much as I like US Hot Dogs and Apple pie, without the regular importation of goods from the southern climates our nutrition would suffer greatly, even in the US. In Hungary this would certainly be beyond uncomfortable, it would be downright brutal.

Before everyone gets too hysterical, please remember that this is mostly just a PR stunt by an agriculture minister keen to appease local farmers. I very seriously doubt it will have any noticeable impact on the ability of people to get foreign food, and will certainly not lead to places like Culinaris being forced to trade in their Italian salami for Pick, which would lead to a crushing response by the EU. Still, it's irritating and, for anyone who loves Hungary and Hungarian food, embarrassing.

Dear anonymous2, I won't tell anything here about what can be done to civilize this country. I have been trying for the last 18 years, but I have come to a conclusion: it's totally, absolutely, fantastically useless. Thanks God I am leaving in 2 years time. Can't wait.

Actually pippo, as crazy as it may sound, I think you might just have something there with your fish theory.

Most of the fish you can get here other countries either throw back or throw away.

It'd be a great social experiment to introduce good quality fish into the Hungarian diet and see if in a few years they manage to sort out this sorry arse country.

Stranger things have happened !

@Anonymous2

How are you able to write in the dark???

Your head is jammed so far up your own arse it's a miracle you can still see to write anything at all??

It's past your bedtime now and you're getting tired and silly again...

Off you go now...

It is really unfortunate that you are leaving so soon, pippo. I guess we will manage without your civilising influence, but it will be hard, hard going, what with being arrogant primitives and all that. Hopefully we get to keep bacsi and his passionate crusade to bring light, reason and level-headed discourse into this dark and barren wasteland.

Bacsi at April 15, 2009 9:26 PM

Great comment ! I did chuckle.

Do you mind if I use that occasionally?

:))

Bacsi -
I think if you re-read Pippos post you will see why Anonymous2 was offended...actually I found the post to be bit harsh to our Hungarian hosts. Read it again but imagine you are in your home country and some foreigner says you are useless bunch of arrogant primitives; tell me you aren't offended?

@C'est moi

@you are useless bunch of arrogant primitives'

With the greatest of respect the time for 'cuddles & comfort' is long past.

I admit the truth does hurt, but I think with the amount of flack that Hungary brings upon itself, people are going to have to face up to the facts sooner rather than later.

By the way what made you think that I'm not a local??

I live and work right in the centre of Budapest?

Hey B, actually I am pretty sure you are a local but I can understand why someone might be a little pissed off by the comments cited. I am sure you have read some of my posts so I am certainly not part of the 'cuddles & comfort' crowd, but I do try to save it for pesticide and politics rather that food which can be quite subjective. I guess we just agree to disagree ;)

Hungary breaking EU law (yet again) comes under the heading of politics for me?

Sadly whatever the subject matter, Hungary manages to take each, directly into the political arena..

It's such base stupidity in decision making that singles out Hungary as 'Far' behind in the eyes of ther EU.

Nobody in Brussels is expecting very much of Hungary anymore.

Given the economic chaos Hungary has brought upon itself, most people would see the next step for Hungary as some pretty heavy 'Bridge Building' within the EU...

Not making more foolish and illegal decisions that only werve to drive a wedge between Hungary and the rest of the EU Member States.

The time is fast approaching when the EU will simply say 'Enough'... and Hungary will have nobody left to blame it all on??

What then?

B- I completly agree with you politically on this one. Hey, I was one of the first to chirp in. My point was really about Pippo's harsh words over something which is a matter of taste and that Anonymouse was perfectly justified in his offence. It doesn't really matter...

If we all agreed on everything, things would get very boring around here (fat chance me thinks??)

I promise that my intention insn't to offend, but my blood does boil, when I see the the 'time honoured' mistakes resufacing once again.

Hungary must realise it has a very limited number of avenues left for it to tread and to announce moves that will again deminish our options yet further is suicide.

Hungary has been at various 'crossroads' in its Hitory Far more often than is reasonable to expect and in each case we've chosen to head off in the exact WRONG Direction.

Once off down the road, we then look for a suitable 'Patsy' to blame everything upon...

It must be time for this self destructive cycle to be broken.

Very soon there will be nobody left to blame but ourselves...

To anonymous2: I am not leaving soon. 2 years is a long time. And if you cared to read carefully my previous message, you would have seen that I have been working here (on and off) for 18 years, which entitles me to have a motivated opinion about the locals. BTW I worked in 7 different countries in 3 continents, and I can swear on a pile of Bibles that nobody comes close to hungarians for laziness, arrogance and sheer stupidity. Having said that, "you guess you will manage without my civilising influence" ? Oh how ironic is your prose. Of course you will. And stay primitive. But who cares? Not me. My spanish villa is almost ready.

To JD: In all mediterranean countries people living on the coast think that the guys from the mountains (of the same country!) are generally quite thick. Ask italians, greeks or spaniards. It's true: sea fish really not just helps your health, delivering proteins in a way that is not heavy to your liver and arteries, but makes your brain work better. No coincidence that it takes 5 long hours by car to reach the sea from budapest... see the results and judge for yourself.

btw, the yahoo link i posted is dead, go to reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE52F4XH20090316

pippo, your accomplishments are approaching almost Randian proportions here. I mean, you will be eating superb chorizo out of a wicker chair in your Spanish villa, while we will be crying salty tears over a pack of stale Tesco parizer (I mean, we natives love that gross stuff). To think that after you worked so hard to bring us out of our ignorant barbarism (and for 18 years no less!), the only thanks you get for your perseverance is a fond Au revoir is, perhaps, the greatest injustice of all. Atlas wept.

pipi,
You dunno nuthin' kid.
Hungary wasn't always like this. We were on top of the pile before we gave up everything and changed our version of socialism into corruptionism.
20 years of thievery and mismanagement can do some real damage. Let's hope the people will take back the country from the crooks and find a few decent leaders.

Food was so much better in the good old days...

Godot, 20 years ago I WAS HERE already, and believe me I cannot imagine a single aspect of Hungary (ladies' beauty aside) that was on top of any kind of ranking. You must be joking.
Hungary was never on top of any pile. Or you mean the "Empire"? "Great Hungary"? What a pile dude: Czechoslovakia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Romania... no big effort to be on top of that. In Southern Italy they say something like: To play the peacock on a pile of rubbish.
Why western Europe is full of polish, romanian and albanian workers while hungarians are all here boasting their superiority? (females aside, again, because sex workers DO travel). Because they think they must not emigrate, they are too good for that. My advice is: travel! Grow up! Get out of here! So you will understand how far you are from being civilized people.

would somebody mind explaining to me (slowly) why the locally produced goods would cost more than the current imports?? this has got to be the most screwed up place in the world: try to do something half-assed right only to much it up but really good.

pippo: i'm with you on that italian shopping trip!! in fact, i may end up staying in glorious italy.

bacsi: wish the hell there were more hungarians who had normal thoughts like you. this poor slob of a country simply doesn't know its elbow from its asshole.

anonymous and anonymous2 TYPICAL!!!! hungarians and their unsigned letters! who gives a sh@t if you won't even own your opinions.

pipi,
I have travelled far and away, spent the past 22 years in exile. I just returned to see the horrible destruction. Hungary is in far worse shape than it was when I left. Sure you have the "freedom" to protest on the streets and get gassed and beaten by the storm troopers. You have a much larger selection of consumer goods than you need or can afford. Food, on the other hand, has dropped in both quality and selection, while prices reached the US levels. Hungary is finished, there's no hope for real change any more. Back to the USSA for me...

The more I read about Hungary troubles, the more I must admit Bacsi ur, even he is not well speaking, I mean, he use the same attitude then the native Hungarian, by speaking bad words in almost each of his sentence, like, you know, the sorry hungarian who speak harsh, but, I see his point very well....

We do have the Hungarian crowd, still dreaming of 20 years ago habit, and, are not, and would never be able and ready to change nothing to protect their owns rights,assets, houses, flats, lands and the futur of the Nation, meaning their childrens....They do espect, very often, that, a foreign country, or more, would just drop here, make some very needed cleaning and left, but, sorry, this is not the real way...For a too long time, people must admit, they are expecting the governement, would take care of thems, but, please WAKE-UP, because, in any real democratics way, we have to give some personal input....

Of course, all the nation is stealing, either by black money, black market, offshore companies, not paying taxes, and, more, but, this is short way of seeing well for an improvment, and a better Hungary. this is a short vision, not sunstainable for ever....

Then Auchan Tesco and all the internationals compagnies, do they must leave Hungary, because, some at the command would let us thing, we must buy Hungarian? Do some of us, recall how many years in advance we had to wait and pay, also with black money, for a Traban..?

Either we do stick in the EU spirit or not.