Nurses Day Worldwide - May 12
International Nurses week (IND) is celebrated around the world every 6–12 May, to mark the contributions nurses make to society.
Background The International Council of
Nurses (ICN) has celebrated this day since 1965. In 1953 Dorothy Sutherland, an official with the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, had proposed that President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaim a "Nurses Day," but he did not approve it. In January 1974, the decision was made to celebrate the day on 12 May as it is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, who is widely considered the founder of modern nursing. Each year, ICN prepares and distributes the International Nurses' Day Kit. The kit contains educational and public information materials, for use by nurses everywhere. In 1999 the British public sector union UNISON voted to ask the ICN to transfer this day to another date, saying Nightingale did not represent modern nursing. As of 1998, 8 May was designated as annual National Student Nurses Day. As of 2003, the Wednesday within National Nurses Week, between 6 and 12 May, is National School Nurse Day.
HUNGARY Hungary thankful to Germans for active role in European reunification: Martonyi
Hungary has most talented brains in the world: PM Orbán
Themes 1988 - Safe Motherhood
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
1989 - School Health 1990 - Nurses and Environment 1991 - Mental Health - Nurses in Action 1992 - Healthy Aging 1993 - Quality, costs and Nursing 1994 - Healthy Families for Healthy Nation 1995 - Women's Health: Nurses Pave the Way 1996 - Better Health through Nursing Research 1997 - Healthy Young People = A Brighter Future 1998 - Partnership for Community Health 1999 - Celebrating Nursing's Past, claiming the future 2000 - Nurses - Always there for you 2001 - Nurses, Always There for You: United Against Violence 2002 - Nurses Always There for You: Caring for Families 2003 - Nurses: Fighting AIDS stigma, working for all 2004 - Nurses: Working with the Poor; Against Poverty 2005 - Nurses for Patients Safety: Targeting counterfeit medicines and substandard medication 2006 - Safe staffing saves lives 2007 - Positive practice environments: Quality workplaces = quality patient care 2008 - Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Primary Health Care 2009 - Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Care Innovations 2010 - Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Chronic Care. 2011 - Closing The Gap: Increasing Access and Equity. 2012 - Closing The Gap: From Evidence to Action.
Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy
Photo: Endre Véssey (Online 07 May) Hungary is thankful to Germany for its active role in making Europe united and whole again following the German reunification, Foreign Minister János Martonyi said on Monday. Yesterday, the Hungarian Foreign Minister declared at a conference marking the 40th anniversary of
therefore of great importance, János Martonyi claimed. The Hungarian Foreign Minister pointed out that the principle of equal treatment was "impaired in many respects" within the European Union and therefore Hungary supports the joint German, Danish, Finnish and Dutch proposal to introduce equal
overcome the division of Europe through joint efforts and now they must complete the unification process together, he added. János Martonyi remarked that forty years did not count as a long period in history, but the past forty years had been exceptionally eventful, and major changes had occurred both in
Nursing week
The U.S. and Canada celebrate their National Nursing Week each year from 9 to 15 May each year. It was established in the U.S. by President Richard Nixon in 1974. The Canadian Minister of Health instituted National Nursing Week in Canada in 1985.
Etymology
The name of the river, Paraguay, is thought to come from Guaraní para, "of many varieties", andgua, "riverine". There is no conclusive explanation for the origin of the name Paraguay, however. The most common interpretations that have been suggested include: "River which originates a sea" 1. The Spanish officer and scientist Félix de Azara suggests two versions: water from the Payaguas 2. (Payaguá-and Payagua-i), referring to natural Payaguas living on the coasts of the river, and the other was due to the name of a great chief called "Paraguaio." The French-Argentine historian and writer Paul Groussac argued that it meant "river that flows through 3. the sea (Pantanal)." The ex-president and Paraguayan politician, Juan Natalicio Gonzalez said it meant "river of the habi4. tants of the sea." fray Antonio Ruiz de Montoya said that it meant "river crowned." 5.
History Pre-Columbian society in the wooded, fertile region which is now Paraguay consisted of seminomadic tribes, who
were recognized for their fierce warrior traditions. These indigenous tribes were members of five distinct language families, and 17 separate ethnolinguistic groups remain today. Europeans first arrived in the area in the early sixteenth century, and the settlement of Asunción was founded on 15 August 1537, by the Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar de Espinosa. The city eventually became the center of a Spanish colonial province, as well as the primary site of the Jesuit missions and settlements in South America in the eighteenth century. Jesuit Reductions were founded, and flourished in eastern Paraguay for about 150 years, until the expulsion of the Jesuits by the Spanish crown in 1767. Paraguay overthrew the local Spanish administration on 15 May 1811. Paraguay's first ruler was the dictator Jose Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia. He ruled Paraguay from 1814, until his death in 1840, with very little outside contact or influence, creating a utopian society based on Rousseau's Social Contract. After his death, Paraguay went through the very brief ownership of various military officers under a new junta, until the secretary Carlos Antonio Lopez, Francia's nephew, declared himself dictator. Lopez modernized Paraguay, and opened it up to foreign commerce. The relationship with Buenos Aires was limited to a non-aggression pact; Paraguayan independence from Argentina was declared in 1842. After Lopez's death, power was transferred to his eldest son, Francisco Solano López in 1862. Lopez's expansionist aims lead to the Paraguayan War in 1864. Paraguay fought against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, and was defeated in 1870 after five years of the bloodiest war in South America. According to William D. Rubinstein, "The normal estimate is that of a Paraguayan population of somewhere between 450,000 and 900,000, only 220,000 survived the war, of whom only 28,000 were adult males." Paraguay also suffered extensive territorial losses to Brazil and Argentina. The Chaco War was fought with Bolivia in the 1930s, and Bolivia was defeated. Paraguay re-established sovereignty over the region called the Chaco, but forfeited additional territorial gains as a price of peace. The official narrative of Paraguay's history is fraught with disputes among historians, educators and politicians. The "authentic" version of historical events, wars in particular, varies depending on whether it was written in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Europe, or North America. Both the Colorado Party and Liberal Party maintain distinct official versions of Paraguayan history. During the pillaging of Asuncion (Saqueo de Asunción) in 1869, the Brazilian Imperial Army ransacked and relocated the Paraguayan National Archives to Rio de Janeiro where they have been kept in secrecy, making Paraguayan history in the Colonial and early National periods difficult to study. Between 1904 and 1954, Paraguay had thirty-one presidents, most of whom were removed from office by force. From 1954 to 1989, the country was ruled by Alfredo Stroessner and the Colorado party. The dictator oversaw an era of economic expansion, but at the cost of a poor human rights and environmental record (see "Political History"). Torture and death for political opponents was routine. After his overthrow, the Colorado continued to dominate national politics until 2008. Leftist former bishop Fernando Lugo achieved a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election of April 2008, defeating the ruling party candidate, and ending 61 years of conservative rule. Lugo won with nearly 41% of the vote, compared to almost 31% for Blanca Ovelar of the Colorado party. The Lugo administration has highlighted the reduction of corruption and economic inequality as two major priorities.
Family Day International - M a y 1 5
The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1993 (A/RES/47/237) and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The International Day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families. In its resolution, the General Assembly also noted that the family-related provisions of the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits of the 1990s and their follow-up processes continue to provide policy guidance on ways to strengthen family-centred components of policies and programmes as part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development. The International Day of Families has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, that day provides an opportunity to highlight different areas of interest and importance to families. Activities include workshops and conferences, radio and television programmes, newspaper articles and cultural programmes highlighting relevant themes. The 2011's commemoration of the International Day of Families focuses on the "Confronting Family Poverty and Social Exclusion."
(Online 09 May) The State Secretary for External Economic Relations and Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó declared at the press conference of the Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency that the top priority of Hungarian economic policy this year is to facilitate growth and achieving this requires the successful implementation of the Opening to the East policy. State Secretary Péter Szijjártó said that Hungary belongs to those five EU countries that have been able to reduce their state debt and is one of the very few countries in which the budget deficit was under 2 percent
Photo: Endre Véssey Hungary establishing diplomatic links with the Federal Republic of Germany that Germany had a great responsibility in maintaining and strengthening the unity of Europe. He added that Germans were aware of the fact that - in addition to the current crisis management measures it was also necessary to think about the future vision of Europe. The transatlantic alliance's contribution to the world's economic output is on the wane, and the signing of the EU-US free trade agreement is
criteria when assessing to what extent the various EU member states meet the standards of EU law. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle stated at the conference that it was necessary to understand that even a large country like Germany needed allies in Europe because each European state was in itself too small in a global perspective. Though they do not have a common border, Germany and Hungary are like neighbours because they have
Hungary and Germany, in Europe, and in the world at large. He added that it could already be felt in the first decades of the past 40 years that the division of Germany and Europe was unnatural, and was being maintained artificially. The two foreign ministers also opened a photo exhibition at Budapest's German language Andrassy University, which presents the past four decades of cooperation through 40 images.
H unga r y a im s t o s t r e ngt he n t ie s wit h La t in A m e r ic a
History The holiday was created on October 1, 1961, when Con-
gress asked the president to designate May 15 to honor peace officers. John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on October 1, 1962. Amended in 1994, Bill Clinton, through Public Law 103-322, directed that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on May 15. According to a proclamation by George W. Bush in 2002, "Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week pay tribute to the local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers who serve and protect us with courage and dedication. These observances also remind us of the ongoing need to be vigilant against all forms of crime, especially to acts of extreme violence and terrorism." Much of the holiday centers on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, D.C., whose walls feature the names of more than 19,000 law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty.
Teacher's Day South Korea May 15
Originally it was started by a group of Red Cross youth team members who visited their sick ex-teachers in hospitals. The national celebration ceremony was stopped between 1973 and 1982 but it resumed after that. On the day, teachers are usually presented with carnations by their students, and both enjoy a shorter school day. Ex-students pay their respects to their former teachers by visiting them and giving them a carnation. Many schools now close on Teachers' Day because of the rampant bribery implicit in the expensive gifts often given to teachers. Schools can use the day to have an outing for the teachers.
Constitution Day Norway - M a y 1 7
Norwegian Constitution Day is the National Day of Norway and is an official national holidayobserved on May 17 each year. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to simply as syttende mai or syttande mai (both meaning May Seventeenth), Nasjonaldagen (The National Day) or Grunnlovsdagen (The Constitution Day), although the latter is less frequent.
Historical background The Constitution of Norway was
signed at Eidsvoll on May 17 in the year 1814. The constitution declared Norway to be an independent nation. The celebration of this day began spontaneously among students and others from early on. However, Norway was at that time under Swedish rule (following theConvention of Moss in August 1814) and for some years the King of Sweden and Norway was reluctant to allow the celebrations. For a couple of years in the 1820s, King Karl Johan actually forbade it, as he thought the celebrations a kind of protest and disregard—even revolt—against Swedish sovereignty. The king's attitude changed slightly after the Battle of the Square in 1829, an incident which resulted in such a commotion that the king had to allow it. It was, however, not until 1833, that anyone ventured to hold a public address on behalf of the day. That year, official celebration was initiated by the monument of the late politician Christian Krogh, known to have stopped the king from gaining too much personal power. The address was held by Henrik Wergeland, thoroughly witnessed and accounted for by a Swedish spy, sent by the king himself. After 1864, the day became more established, and the first children's parade was launched inChristiania, in a parade consisting only of boys. This initiative was taken by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, although Wergeland made the first known children's parade at Eidsvoll around 1820. It was only in 1899 that girls were allowed to join in the parade for the first time. By historical coincidence, the Second World War ended in Norway nine days before that year's Constitution Day, on May 8, 1945, when the occupying German forces surrendered. Even if The Liberation Day is an official flag day in Norway, the day is not an official holiday and is not broadly celebrated. Instead a new and broader meaning has been added to the celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17. The day focused originally on the Norwegian constitution, but after 1905, the focus has been directed also towards the royal family.
History Pre-Columbian society in the wooded, fertile region
which is now Paraguay consisted of seminomadic tribes, who were recognized for their fierce warrior traditions. These indigenous tribes were members of five distinct language families, and 17 separate ethnolinguistic groups remain today. Children's parade in front of the Royal Palace, Europeans first arrived in the area in the early sixteenth century, and the settlement of Asunción was Oslo founded on 15 August 1537, by the Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar de Espinosa. The city eventually became the center of a Spanish colonial province, as well as the primary site of the Jesuit missions and settlements in South America in the eighteenth century. Jesuit Reductions were founded, and flourished in eastern Paraguay for about 150 years, until the expulsion of the Jesuits by the Spanish crown in 1767. Paraguay overthrew the local Spanish administration on 15 May 1811. Paraguay's first ruler was the dictator Jose Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia. He ruled Paraguay from 1814, until his death in 1840, with very little outside contact or influence, creating a utopian society based on Rousseau's Social Contract. After his death, Paraguay went through the very brief ownership of various military officers under a new junta, until the secretary Carlos Antonio Lopez, Francia's nephew, declared himself dictator. Lopez modernized Paraguay, and opened it up to foreign commerce. The relationship with Buenos Aires was limited to a non-aggression pact; Paraguayan independence from Argentina was declared in 1842. After Lopez's death, power was transferred to his eldest son, Francisco Solano López in 1862. Lopez's expansionist aims lead to the Paraguayan War in 1864. Paraguay fought against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, and was defeated in 1870 after five years of the bloodiest war in South America. According to William D. Rubinstein, "The normal estimate is that of a Paraguayan population of somewhere between 450,000 and 900,000, only 220,000 survived the war, of whom only 28,000 were adult males." Paraguay also suffered extensive territorial losses to Brazil and Argentina. The Chaco War was fought with Bolivia in the 1930s, and Bolivia was defeated. Paraguay re-established sovereignty over the region called the Chaco, but forfeited additional territorial gains as a price of peace. The official narrative of Paraguay's history is fraught with disputes among historians, educators and politicians. The "authentic" version of historical events, wars in particular, varies depending on whether it was written in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Europe, or North America. Both the Colorado Party and Liberal Party maintain distinct official versions of Paraguayan history. During the pillaging of Asuncion (Saqueo de Asunción) in 1869, the Brazilian Imperial Army ransacked and relocated the Paraguayan National Archives to Rio de Janeiro where they have been kept in secrecy, making Paraguayan history in the Colonial and early National periods difficult to study. Between 1904 and 1954, Paraguay had thirty-one presidents, most of whom were removed from office by force. From 1954 to 1989, the country was ruled by Alfredo Stroessner and the Colorado party. The dictator oversaw an era of economic expansion, but at the cost of a poor human rights and environmental record (see "Political History"). Torture and death for political opponents was routine. After his overthrow, the Colorado continued to dominate national politics until 2008. Leftist former bishop Fernando Lugo achieved a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election of April 2008, defeating the ruling party candidate, and ending 61 years of conservative rule. Lugo won with nearly 41% of the vote, compared to almost 31% for Blanca Ovelar of the Colorado party. The Lugo administration has highlighted the reduction of corruption and economic inequality as two major priorities.
Children's parades A noteworthy aspect of the Norwegian Constitution Day is its
very non-military nature. All over Norway, children's parades with an abundance of flags form the central elements of the celebration. Each elementary school district arranges its own parade with marching bands between schools. The parade takes the children through the community, often making stops at homes of senior citizens, war memorials, etc. The longest parade is in Oslo, where some 100,000 people travel to the city centre to participate in the main festivities. This is broad- The kindergarten part of a Children's parade. cast on TV every year, with comments on costumes, banners Also notice the use of the Gákti, the traditional etc., together with local reports from celebrations around the clothing of the Sami people. country. The massive Oslo parade includes some 100 schools, marching bands, and passes the royal palace where the royal family greet the people from the main balcony. Typically a school’s children parade will consist of some senior school children carrying the school’s official banner, followed by a handful of other older children carrying full size Norwegian flags, and the school’s marching band. After the band the rest of the school children follow with hand sized flags, often with the junior forms first, and often behind self made banners for each form or even individual class. Nearby kindergartens may also have been invited to join in. As the parade passes, bystanders often join in behind the official parade, and follow the parade back to the school. Depending on the community, the parade may make stops at particular sites along the route, such as a nursing home or war memorial. In Oslo the parade stops at the Royal Palace while Skaugum, the home of the crown prince, has been a traditional waypoint for parades in Asker. During the parade a marching band will play and the children will sing lyrics about the celebration of the National Day. The parade concludes with the stationary singing of the national anthem "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (typically verses 1, 7 and 8), and the royal anthem "Kongesangen". In addition to flags, people typically wear red, white and blue ribbons. Although a long-standing tradition, it has lately become more popular for men, women, and children to wear traditional outfits, called bunad. The children also make a lot of noise shouting "Hurra!", singing, blowing whistles and shaking rattles. In addition to children's parades, there are parades for the public, where every citizen is welcome to join in. These are led by marching bands and often local boy scouts and girl guides, local choirs, etc. This takes place in the early morning or in the afternoon, before or after the school's parade. All parades begin or end with speeches. Both grown-ups and older children are invited to speak. After the parades, there are games for the children, and often a lot of icecream, pop, sweets and hotdogs are consumed.
Russ The graduating class from the Norwegian equivalent of high
school - known as russ - has its own celebration on May 17, stay- Russ girls during the children's paing up all night and making the rounds through the community. The russ also have their own parades later in the day, usually rade in Trondheim. around 4 or 5 PM. In this parade, russ will parade through the street with their russcars carrying signs and pickets. They may parody various local and political aspects, although recently this has become less frequent. Russ parades have lately become smaller and smaller due to diligent police discouragement.
Celebration across the country In Oslo, children from all the city's schools gather to parade past the Royal Palace, where they and •
the Royal Family exchange waves and greetings. In the municipality of Asker, outside Oslo, the children gather outside the residence of the throne heir • at Skaugum Estate in the morning (giving the Prince and his family time to attend the parade in Oslo later in the day). Bergen has its own traditions for the parade, including comic troupes, various local organizations, a • children's parade, and the unique buekorps. In Trondheim, children from all the • city's schools parade the streets of Trondheim in the morning. Later in the afternoon, the "Citizens Parade" (Borgertoget) starts. This is a parade where firefighters, sports teams, students associations and other associations are represented. In addition to the children's parades the streets are filled with young and old, turning out in festive attire, and vendors selling ice cream, hot dogs, and lately, kebabs. Although May 17 is the National Day, it is an inclusive kind of nationalism. Therefore any foreigner who happens to be there on this day can expect to have a flag thrust into their hand and is welcome to join in with all activities.
The Royal Guard Norwegian Constitution Day Celebration abroad parade. Syttende Mai is also celebrated in many Norwegian
immigrant communities throughout the world, with traditional foods, sometimes including lutefisk. In the United States and Canada, the local lodges of the Sons of Norway often play a central part in organizing the festivities. One major celebration occurs in Petersburg, Alaska also known as "Little Norway". The town is a Norwegian settlement and strongly retains its roots. The festival occurs the weekend closest to May 17 and includes a parade, Leikarring dancers, herring toss, Norwegian pastries such as lefse and even a pack of Vikings and Valkyries. Another major Syttende Mai celebration occurs in Stoughton, Wisconsin, which is the 2nd largest in the world, and the largest in the U.S. Festivities include canoe racing, two parades, an art fair, a 20-mile run that starts in Madison, Wisconsin, and a great deal of bratwurst consumption. The festival features the Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancers, a group that tours the country showcasing traditional ethnic dances of Scandinavia. Smaller Syttende Mai celebrations are held in Norwegian-heritage communities throughout western Wisconsin, Minnesota, and elsewhere in the Midwestern United States. Members of Norway's Parliament Storting travel to Chicago to attend a three-day celebration consisting of a concert, banquet and parade hosted by the Norwegian National League. Spring Grove, Minnesota also hosts a 3 day festival on the weekend nearest to Syttende Mai, while nearby Decorah, Iowa, the home of Nordic Fest and the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, also hosts a parade. Other large celebrations are held in the Ballard, Seattle, Washington neighborhood, Poulsbo, Washington, and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.Epcot's Norwegian Pavilion in Florida, celebrates Constitution Day with numerous flags around the pavilion, as well as parades around the World Showcase Lagoon. The Norwegian community in London holds a May 17 celebration each year in Southwark Park. The celebration is attended by a large number of Norwegians abroad, and includes a small parade, a traditional mass in the church, and the selling of traditional Norwegian foods such as Solo and makrell i tomat, and a lot of Norwegian flags for Norwegians who have left theirs at home. The occasional Russ has also attended the parade. In Orkney, Scotland, 17. May is celebrated by the Orkney Norway Friendship Association in recognition of the islands' strong historic links with Norway. Stockholm, Sweden, has a big celebration with a parade starting at Engelbrektsplan and ending at Skansen, in which more than 10,000 participate every year. The event includes Stockholm's only dedicated 17. May marching band, Det Norske Korps. It is also common for Norwegians living abroad to gather and celebrate. In some countries, typically where the population of Norwegian expatriates is small, the Norwegian embassy or the diplomats' spouses arrange the event.
Henrik Wergeland
The poet Henrik Wergeland is credited with making Syttande/Syttende mai a celebratory day for the children rather than a day of patriotic pride. Actually, the day demonstrates that the children, i.e. the country's future, are the patriotic pride, if we follow Wergeland's thought. Flags and music dominate the day, and there are few military parades. To commemorate his contribution, the russ in Oslo place an oversized hat on his statue near the Norwegian parliament; the Jewish community place a wreath on his grave in the morning as a tribute to his efforts on their behalf.
Military participation
The Royal Guard performs on the main street of the capital city, Oslo. During the parade, the Guard display their drill and musical skills. The marching band of the Royal Guard also attend the children's parade in central Oslo together with the schools' own marching bands, their black uniforms and impeccable drill being a very popular part of the Oslo parade. Forsvarets Musikkorps Vestlandet (Norwegian Armed Forces' Music Corps Western Norway), followed by parts of the military defence is participating the parade of Bergen.
An inclusive holiday The former Norwegian president of parliament Jo Benkow noted that the day has increasingly become a celebration
of Norway's growing ethnic diversity. Several factors have probably contributed to the inclusive nature of the celebration: • The central position of the children’s parade, including all lower level school children, and therefore also their parents in the celebration. • The celebration is focused around local schools and their children’s parade. • The children’s parade reaches outwards, trying to cover as many roads as possible in the local community. • The low focus on elected government during the celebration. In the capital, for example, the children’s parade passes the left side of the parliament building, and the president of parliament is allowed to wave to the passing parade from a small balcony, but the main focus of the parade is the Royal Castle and the Royal Family. It must also be noted that the office of president of parliament is mainly ceremonial and administrative, often awarded in the later part of a political career. The prime minister and the rest of the ruling government on the other hand have no official duties during the celebrations. • The virtual lack of any military-centred celebration. One can add that the day should be regarded as an expression of thankfulness, on behalf of the old values freedom, equality and brotherhood, the ideological basis for the constitution, and also on behalf of the circumstances that led up to the constitution. The aspect of "thanksgiving" in the national celebrations of Norway is easily forgotten in the long span of years from 1814.
vestment in the Wigner research centre, in addition to which a non-refundable development loan of HUF 9.5bn for the Hungarian Academy of Sciences will ensure the restructuring of the natural sciences centre, he said. Furthermore, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Government has come to an agreement with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences regarding the establishment of a social science research centre, and if the implementation of this plan is successful the Academy will have in its possession 21st century infrastructure. Hungary must become the land of knowledge, he added.
last year, adding that this is a good indicator with regard to the excessive deficit procedure, where the decision concerning Hungary will hopefully be based on numbers and facts. State Secretary Péter Szijjártó emphasized that the most important source of economic growth is the expansion of exports, and the Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency should focus on achieving this goal. According to the State Secretary, beside maintaining their share of Western markets, Hungarian exports must concentrate on rapidly growing Eastern markets. 76 percent of Hungarian
exports are currently directed towards EU countries, while the share of the European market outside the EU totals 12 percent and exports to other continents provide the remaining 12 percent. State Secretary Péter Szijjártó pointed out that China and other Far Eastern states, the Arab world, the Caucasian region and the African markets could play a role in export expansion. In the Eastern markets, international agreements aimed at supporting companies must be concluded within the framework of joint economic committees, he said.
Government programme to promote births (Online 08 May) The government is preparing to launch a programme to promote births in the second half of 2013, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced at a Christian forum. Addressing a meeting of the Association of Christian Intellectuals in Győr, North-West Hungary, he was talking about the government’s family-
friendly policies and the new constitutional protection of marriage and the family. He insisted that the family was the number one resource of any viable society, including that of Europe after the crisis. The Prime Minister summed up the Government’s achievements so far in 25 points mentioning the cuts in utility
bills, the increase in minimal wage and pensions retaining their real value. He stated that he wants to build a strong a successful Hungary based on a strong and successful middle class, which is why most cabinet decisions are aimed at this group.
Government programme to promote births (Online 08 May) The government is preparing to launch a programme to promote births in the second half of 2013, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced at a Christian forum. Addressing a meeting of the Association of Christian Intellectuals in Győr, North-West Hungary, he was talking about the government’s family-
friendly policies and the new constitutional protection of marriage and the family. He insisted that the family was the number one resource of any viable society, including that of Europe after the crisis. The Prime Minister summed up the Government’s achievements so far in 25 points mentioning the cuts in utility
bills, the increase in minimal wage and pensions retaining their real value. He stated that he wants to build a strong a successful Hungary based on a strong and successful middle class, which is why most cabinet decisions are aimed at this group.
Ta v a r e s r e p o r t f u l l o f f a c t u a l errors: Hungary (Online 08 May) According to the Government’s Spokesperson András Giró-Szász, the draft report on the rule of law in Hungary, put forward by Green Party member Rui Tavares, is full of factual errors and misrepresentations. According to the report, prepared by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), there is possibility that Hungary is in serious breach of the common values referred to in Article 2 of the European Union
Treaty. Accordingly, Rapporteur Tavares stated that Article 7 may be invoked against Hungary. The Hungarian Spokesperson emphasised that the Government is currently studying the report’s findings carefully and it is clear that the document is full of factual errors and misinterpretations. The Rapporteur has applied double standards since the disputed measures listed in the report can without exception also be found in other countries, against whom the EU has never acted. "At the same time,
the report itself, I think, is a political one, as is made evident by the fact that it is supported by the Socialist, Liberal and Green parties and the by alliance of left-wing groups", whereas it received criticism from the EP conservative group, he pointed out. The Spokesman said it appeared that those who drafted the report wanted the Government to return to the pre2010 state of affairs. "This is nothing less than overriding the will of Hungarian voters," he added.
Foundation stone laid for new Eagle Ottawa development Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy (Online 10 May) State Secretary for External Economic Relations and Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó negotiated with South American and Caribbean ambassadors in Hungary. The State Secretary declared that Hungary aims to reposition itself in
Latin America, strengthening its ties with a region that is advancing to become one of the strongest in the world. In order to achieve this, the State Secretary is negotiating on the extension of diplomatic presence, economic agreements and scholar-
ship exchange programs that would make it possible for 450 students from Brazil and 100 students from Mexico to study in Hungary. In addition, a quota of 200 students would be maintained for other countries of the region.
J á nos M a r t ony i holds ta lk s wit h Is r a e li M inis t e r f or Ene r gy a nd Wa te r
Photo: Eisenmann József
Peace Officer Memorial Day U.S. - M a y 1 5
Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week is an observance in the United States that pays tribute to the local, state, and Federal peace officers. The Memorial takes place on May 15, and Police Week is the calendar week in which the Memorial falls.
sire to find their place in the world and it is exclusively up to the Hungarians if they are successful or lag behind in the competition among nations, adding that the Abel Prize of Endre Szemerédi, the Kyoto Prize of László Lovász and the Brain Prize of György Buzsáki, Tamás Freund and Péter Somogyi all prove that the spirit and genius of Hungarian science is still alive and well. Viktor Orbán pointed out that the Government fully assures the conditions required for the work of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The fastest data system in the world will be created through a HUF 8.5bn in-
Hungarian economic policy top priority is to facilitate economic growth: Péter Szijjártó
Independence Day Paraguay - M a y 1 5
Paraguay officially the Republic of Paraguay (Spanish: República del Paraguay, Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the country from north to south. Due to its central location in South America, it is sometimes referred to as Corazón de América, or the Heart of America. The Guaraní have been living in Paraguay since prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century, when Paraguay became part of the Spanish colonial empire. Following independence from Spain in 1811 Paraguay was ruled by a series of dictators who followed isolationist and protectionist policies. This development was truncated by the disastrous Paraguayan War(1864–1870) in which the country lost 60% to 70% of its population. During a large part of the 20th century the country was ruled by Alfredo Stroessner as one of the longest lived South American military dictatorships. In 1989 Stroessner was toppled and free elections celebrated in 1993. In 1994 Paraguay joined Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay to found Mercosur. As of 2009 the population was estimated at 6.3 million. The capital and largest city isAsunción. The official languages are Spanish and Guaraní, both being widely spoken in the country, with around 92% of the general population speaking Spanish and 98% speaking Guaraní. Most of the population are mestizos. In 2010, Paraguay's economy grew by 14.5%, the largest economic expansion in Latin America and the third fastest in the world, only after Qatar and Singapore. By 2011, economic growth slowed but remained healthy, at 6.4%.
(Online 06 May) Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed the 184th Plenary Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The Prime Minister pointed out that Hungary may be successful in the competition for the best scholars, if we manage to keep the country's most talented brains here in Hungary. Viktor Orbán welcomed the Momentum Programme, launched by the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences with the aim of reversing the immigration of successful, young researchers. The Prime Minister declared that Hungarians are motivated by the de-
Photo:Endre Véssey (Online 08 May) Foreign Minister János Martonyi held talks with Silvan Shalom, Minister for Energy and Water Affairs, who represented the Israeli Government at the Assembly of the Jewish World Congress in Budapest. Minister Shalom expressed his appreciation for the fact that Prime Minister Orbán had given a speech at the opening session of the JWC meeting; he stressed that the Hungarian Prime Minister’s gesture had
meant a lot to the Jewish people. János Martonyi declared that Jews in Hungary were an integral part of the Hungarian nation, and this is considered a great value. The two ministers discussed bilateral issues, particularly opportunities for cooperation in water management. They agreed that the two countries are linked by close and friendly ties, which is reflected in the fact that there is a large Jewish community living in Hungary and that many Is-
raelis have Hungarian origins. The Hungarian Foreign Minister pointed out that the Hungarian Government welcomed the activities of Israeli investors in Hungary and was looking forward to receiving new investments. Minister Shalom expressed the Israeli party's willingness to further develop bilateral relations in economic, cultural and other areas.
Día das Letras Galegas Spain - M a y 1 7
Galician Literature Day (Galician: Día das Letras Galegas, Spanish: Día de las Letras Gallegas) is a public holiday observed in Galicia, Spain. Introduced by the Royal Galician Academy in 1963 it is a celebration of the Galician language and its literature. This celebration has taken place on May 17 since 1963. In the year 1991 was declared as a public holiday in al lGalicia. The first celebration took place in 1963 to commemorate the centenary of Cantares gallegos, the first work written in the Galician language by Rosalía de Castro (1837– 1885), who later became one of the most important poets in the history of Galicia. Cantares gallegos was first published on May 17, 1863. Since 1963, each Galician Literature Day has been dedicated to a different writer in the Galician language. This writer must be dead, and is chosen by the Real Academia Galega (Royal Galician Academy). There is only one precedent of a "shared" Day: in 1998, the day was dedicated to Martín Codax, Xohán de Cangas and Mendinho, together with the authors of the medieval songs (cantigas).
Battle of Las Peidras Uruguay - M a y 1 8
The Battle of Las Piedras was fought on May 18, 1811 as part of the Uruguayan struggle for independence.
Backgroud
In 1810, the May Revolution had forced the Spanish to abandon Buenos Aires, but they held on to the Banda Oriental (present-day Uruguay), as Spain moved the headquarters of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata to Montevideo. At the beginning of April 1811, the revolutionary José Gervasio Artigas returned to the Banda Oriental with approximately 180 men provided by the Government of Buenos Aires. On April 11, he issued the Mercedes Proclamation, assuming control of the revolution. The Governor of Montevideo and new Viceroy of Río de la Plata, Francisco Javier de Elío, appointed frigatecaptain José Posadas at the head of the forces loyal to Spain. Posadas installed his headquarters at San Isidro Labrador de Las Piedras near Montevideo, to provoke a decisive battle against the revolutionaries. Meanwhile, José Artigas was camped near Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe with an army of a thousand men. The army of Posadas counted 1230 men, of which some 200 would defect to Artigas in the midst of battle. The battle was fought on May 18 at Las Piedras and resulted in a total victory for the revolutionaries. José Posadas capitulated. It was at this occasion that Artigas pronounced his famous sentence "Curad a los heridos, clemencia para los vencidos" (Cure the injured, mercy to the vanquished), an unusual decision in those times, referring to the Spanish wounded and prisoners. One of the casualties on the revolutionary side was Manuel Artigas, nephew of José Artigas. Both armies fought in the name of King Ferdinand VII of Spain.
(Online 08 May) The new production facility of the car industry supplier – an automotive leather manufacturer - with its headquarters in the United States will increase the output capacity of the company’s Hungarian subsidiary by 55 percent and add 200 new jobs. Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga emphasized at the inauguration ceremony that forty out of the fifty largest American multinational companies have representations in Hungary and the investments and development projects of these enterprises have created more than 40 thousand new jobs over the past ten years. The Minister stressed that the investment and development objectives of Ottawa match the Government’s economic policy goals in several aspects, as these create jobs and provide a living for hundreds of families. Mihály Varga also expressed hope that the current investment project will
increase the number of domestic suppliers and environmental protection will continue to be a priority for the enterprise. The Minister for National Economy informed the press that Ottawa exports 100 percent of its products to several continents, and this sector has a key role to play in Hungary’s economic recovery. General Manager of Eagle Ottawa Hungary Bryn Kahrl said that the value of the development project for enlarging their production site is HUF 2bn, and the number of full-time employees will thereby increase from the current 800 to above 1000. He recalled that Eagle Ottawa Hungary opened its first leather cutting facility in Szolnok in 2001, and the company was the first to move to the Szolnok industrial park in 2005, with a new tanning facility. Since 2009, Szolnok has also hosted the company’s European R&D center. The premium category vehicles manufac-
tured by, among others, BMW, Daimler-Benz, Ford, Nissan, Hyundai/Kia, Renault and Toyota are fitted with leather products manufactured in the city. Mayor of Szolnok Ferenc Szalay (Fidesz) spoke about the one-time debate within the local government over the usefulness and viability of an industrial park in the city. Fortunately, he added, the right decision was made, because the importance of to what extent the municipality can profit from it is second to the significance of the number of jobs created. Szolnok’s local government approved the sale of a 5.8-hectare building site to Eagle Ottawa for the construction of a 5500sqm production facility. The price of the deal, brokered with the help of commercial banks, has not been revealed yet; it will be made public after the purchase contract has been signed.
Hungarian innovation policy implements comprehensive reform measures (Online 08 May) Minister of State for Economic Strategy Zoltán Cséfalvay emphasized at the press conference held in Budapest prior to the seminar on the innovation strategies of Hungary and Sweden that Hungary has recently carried out several profound changes with regard to its innovation policy. The event were organised within the framework of the SwedishHungarian Innovation Days 2013 series. Zoltán Cséfalvay mentioned among these measures that the concept of research & development and innovation had been legally defined, the application of EU and domestic funding had been coordinated and a breakthrough had been achieved regarding the financing of innovative start-ups via venture capital. The Minister of State signalled that the Hungarian Government is about to adopt the country’s innovation strategy in coming weeks following a broad social coordination process. He pointed out that the share of products with high added value within Hungarian exports is significant, and in order to improve this position it is necessary to have an innovation policy which can boost competitiveness. He stressed that the number of inno-
vative enterprises must be significantly increased, and in his opinion the increase of investments by venture capital firms in Hungary signals that this is indeed taking place. He also underlined that while in 2011 Hungary was ranked 5th in Europe with regard to venture capital investments as a percentage of GDP, in 2012 the country advanced to first place in the ranking. Zoltán Cséfalvay said that one of the innovation strategy cornerstones had been determined as being that expenditures on R&D&I should be increased to 1.8 percent of GDP. In 2014-2020, he added, 60 percent or HUF400bn of available resources from cohesion and structural funds shall be spent directly on R&D&I within the framework of the economic operative programme, but there will also be substantial additional financial means available for these fields within other operative programmes. At the press conference, Her Excellency the Ambassador of Sweden to Hungary Karin Olofsdotter emphasised: Europe must stay innovative in a competitive global market, and the exchange of experiences on innovation strategies may stimulate the growth of global competitiveness. As
she added, as a highly innovative country, Hungary has been a key partner to Sweden. Senior Advisor for European and International Research and Innovation of Sweden’s Ministry for Enterprise, Energy and Communications Michael Jacob said at the press conference that after the innovation strategy for Sweden had been formulated, a law on research and innovation activities was adopted. The Senior Advisor stressed the significance of promoting cooperation between enterprises and the academic community, of knowledge-based development, international cooperation and free markets, along with the importance of solving the challenge posed by an aging society, of improving public administration and establishing innovative regions. Member of Board of the Swedish Chamber of Trade and Deputy CEO of Ericsson Hungary Roland Jakab spoke about the significance of his company’s relations with Hungarian universities. Ericsson, which spends USD5bn annually on R&D&I, has one of Europe's largest research centres in Hungary, which includes four R&D facilities.
100,000 Roma people will get jobs until 2015: PM Orbán
Importance of the battle
Some historians consider the victory in the Battle of Las Piedras as crucial for the survival of the revolution in Uruguay and Argentina, after the defeats of General Manuel Belgrano in Paraguay and Paraná. After the battle, the Royalists only remained in control of Colonia del Sacramento and Montevideo, which was finally taken by Carlos María de Alvear on June 20, 1814. The day of the battle, May 18, is now an official holiday in Uruguay.
Flag Day Haiti - M a y 1 8
The flag of Haiti consists of two horizontal bars, blue over red, defaced by a white panel bearing the Haitian coat of arms. The coat of arms depicts a trophy of weapons ready to defend freedom and a royal palm for independence. The palm is topped by the Cap of Liberty. The motto is on a white scroll reading L'Union Fait La Force ("Unity Makes Strength.")
History
During his leadership of the Haitian Revolution, Toussaint Louverture usually portrayed himself as a legitimate agent of a French administration. As such, his forces typically flew the Revolutionary French Tricolore — vertical bands of blue, white, and red. The first purely Haitian flag was adopted on May 18, 1803, on the last day of the Congress of Arcahaie, about fifty miles north of Port-au-Prince. Haitian lore holds that the newly-appointed revolutionary leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines created the flag by taking a French tricolor and ripping out the white center, which he discarded. He then asked Catherine Flon, his god-daughter, to sew the remaining bands together. The white pale removed, the blue was taken to represent Haiti's black citizens and the red the gens de couleur. The story is widely known in Haiti: the anniversary of the date is celebrated as the Haitian Flag Day and images of Catherine Flon have appeared on Haitian currency and stamps. Following his proclamation as Emperor Jacques I, Dessalines promulgated a new constitution on May 20, 1805. In it, the colors of the flag were altered to black and red. This flag being subsequently adopted by Henri Christophe, the republicans under Alexandre Pétion returned to the colors blue and red, subsequently turning them horizontal and adding the newly adopted Haitian coat of arms. During the period of the Haitian Empire of Faustin I, his coat of arms was used on the flag and for official functions, but it was subsequently abandoned upon his removal from office. Between 1964 and 1986, the family dictatorships of François "Papa Doc" and Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier returned to Dessalines' black and red design. They included the national coat of arms, but altered the flags in its trophy to black as well. Because the coat of arms is only used for national and military flags, whereas the civil flag consists solely of the two unaugmented horizontal bands, it was discovered at the1936 Berlin Summer Olympics that Haiti and Liechtenstein were using the same flag. This led to the addition of a crown to the design of the flag of Liechtenstein.
Museum Day Worldwide - M a y 1 8
International Museum Day (IMD) is a celebration that held every year on or around 18 May, coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). The event highlights a specific theme that changes every year and that is at the heart of the international museum community’s preoccupations. The International Museum Day provides the opportunity for museum professionals to meet the public and alert them as to the challenges that museums face. Indeed, following the definition of museums provided by ICOM, a museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment. International Museum Day therefore serves as a platform to raise public awareness on the role museums play in the development of society today, on an international level.
History Each year, all museums in the world are invited to
participate in IMD to promote the role of museums around in the world, creating unique, enjoyable and free activities around a theme discussed within the ICOM community for this special day. Since its creation in 1977, International Museum Day has gained increasing attention. In 2009, International Museum Day attracted the participation of 20,000 museums hosting events in more than 90 countries. In 2010, 98 countries participated in the celebration, with 100 in 2011, and 30,000 museums in 129 countries in 2012. In 2011, the official IMD poster was translated into 37 languages. In 2012, this number jumped by one to 38.
Revival & Unity Day Turkmenistan - M a y 1 8
In Turkmenistan Revival and Unity day on May 18 celebrates Magtymguly’s poetry. In the history of the Turkmenistan people as the bright symbol of the realm of a free and prosperous state that came true. This dream was by Magtymguly’s inspired poems.
History Turkmenistan adopted the Con-
stitution on this day, and celebrates the attribute of the statehood embodying the values of the Turkmenistan nation.
Celebrations Celebrations include many expo-
sitions arranged at museums, exhibition halls and libraries in the Turkmenistan capital with the assistance of the ministry of culture and TV and radio broadcasting. Turkmen artists open the ceremony and celebrations by performing a huge concert. Part of these expositions celebrates Magtymguly, who with his outstanding poetry projected the concerns and desires or ordinary Turkmenistan people turning them into heroes through his work. Not only was he a great poet but an equally impressive singer, philosopher and humanist which has been depicted through paintings at the expositions. The expositions for revival and unity day are to express the activity of Turkmenistan in the world, and promote the Turkmen leader’s policy of peace that has won Turkmenistan high recognition. Turkmen artists enjoy this opportunity to display their work in the expositions from sculptors, painters, writers, carpet makers, jewellery makers and poems of Magtymgulys are displayed. Timed for Revival and Unity day the president of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhammeda has signed an act of pardon to release 1710 people from jail. This amnesty is applied to those that in the opinion of authorities ‘truly repent’ and are ready to start an honourable life. This is the 2nd Amnesty this year, the first pardon was passed in February to coincide with State Flag Day.
Photo: Károly Árvai (Online 07 May) Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared at the Roma Affairs Council meeting in Budapest that the cabinet sees the Roma community as an opportunity, a hidden potential for the country’s economy, while the majority of parties consider the Roma as being a problem. The question of how Roma people live in Hungary is therefore not only a human rights issue for us, but an economic and social challenge too, he said. The Prime Minister emphasized that the Roma community is not currently strong enough to get access to jobs on the free market, and so they require some supportive measures which are embodied by the Start work programme. Among the goals, he mentioned that all Roma people should finish elementary school, and more and more should acquire a secondary school diploma, as well as entering the vocational training system, adding that it is our common desire, goal and programme that the Hungarian Roma people find their place in
the future of Hungary. In addition, the support of Roma culture is also important, because cohabitation may improve if cultural characteristics and identities are strengthened. Referring to the European Roma Strategy, the Prime Minister indicated that the goal of improving the situation of half million people in a tangible way must still be achieved within the current term, and he drew attention to the framework agreements concluded between the Government and the National Roma Self-Government, which include the fact that that a hundred thousand Roma people will be provided with workplaces until 2015. In relation to the important measures for Roma integration, Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog said that in 2010, for the first time in the history of Hungarian governance, a separate state secretariat responsible for social inclusion and Roma issues had begun operations. A year later, during the Hungarian Presidency of the EU, the Government prepared the EU Framework National Roma Inte-
gration Strategies. Also, in 2012 the Government and the National Roma Self-Government concluded a framework agreement dedicated to promoting social inclusion. The Minister of Human Resources pointed out that the European Roma Strategy set down four important areas including employment, education, healthcare and accommodation. Two further areas were included in the Hungarian strategy, public safety and culture, said the Minister, adding that there can be no inclusion and integration without culture. In addition to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Chairman of the National Roma Self-Government Flórián Farkas, Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog, Minister of National Economy Mihály Varga, Minister of State heading the Prime Minister’s Office János Lázár and Minister of State for Social Inclusion Zoltán Kovács were also present at the meeting.
A c c us a tions a ga ins t H unga r y not ba s e d on polit ic s (Online 07 May) Minister of Public Administration and Justice Tibor Navracsics has said that European institutions have not voiced legal criticisms of Hungary based on legal principles, but have levelled accusations against the country based on political considerations. The Minister of Public Administration and Justice said the above in an interview on a Sunday news program on the Hungarian radio station Kossuth Rádió, in relation to the recommendation by the Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe to launch a monitoring procedure against Hungary. Mr. Navracsics said that the process is another example of the practice of ‘delivering a verdict before the trial’. He said that he had met rapporteurs from the committee on two occasions, but the final result of their evaluation did not reflect what had been constructive discussions. He added that their study proved abortive when one of the rapporteurs – the Czech conservative Jana Fischerová – resigned, declaring the report to be biased against Hungary. Condemnation of Hungary has become part of a political debate in Europe between the left and the right which is growing increasingly intense
with the approach of next year’s European Parliament elections, said Mr. Navracsics. He said that the left wants to create the impression that Hungary is an example of a supposed danger to democracy posed by the European right. What flows from this, he said, is that their criticisms are not rooted in questions of legality but in politics: not in analysis of legislation, but in their perception of the Orbán government’s goals. The left has proclaimed itself the sole trustee of democracy, and anyone who disputes this is immediately ‘declared to be beyond the pale, and branded as antidemocratic, authoritarian, xenophobic and racist’, he said. The minister observed that when analysing these criticisms made for political purposes, however, it becomes clear that some of the critics do not know the situation in Hungary and do not understand the Government’s goals – or simply do not recognise the need for changes on this scale. Mr. Navracsics also said that the country's risk premium is at a low point, i.e. the market sees Hungarian investments as safe, and bond yields are lower than in recent years. In his view this means that the market acknowledges the results of Hungarian
economic policy. He noted, however, that there are some whose interests are not served by this: they do not want crisis management which rejects the usual templates to be successful, and for it to be increasing popular. In his opinion, this can also be detected in the fact that Hungary – one of Europe's most successful states in terms of fiscal policy – is more negatively regarded by the international press than Cyprus, where for days the banks remained closed and people were unable to access their money, and which slid close to bankruptcy almost unnoticed and with only mild warnings. According to the minister, when assessing economic policy measures Europe should also take into account the fact that in Hungary the average monthly salary is €700, yet the country has still achieved stability; the average salary in Greece – which is ‘in multiple bankruptcy’ – is more than three times this at €2,430, while the average income in Germany is more than €3,500. In response to one question Mr. Navracsics said that, in spite of all the difficulties, it is still worth being a member of the European Union – it is in the national interest.
WORLDWIDE EVENTS NEWSPAPER CONGRATULATES KINGDOM OF NORWAY ON CONSTITUTION DAY - 2013
WORLDWIDE EVENTS NEWSPAPER CONGRATULATES REPUBLIC OF PARAGUAY ON INDEPENDENCE DAY 2013