64 Issue | Zarb-e-Jamhoor e-Newspaper | 25-31 Mar, 2012

Independence Day BANGLADESH - M a r 2 6

Bangladesh officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh (Bengali: গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh) is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India and Myanmar and by the Bay of Bengal to the south.

The capital (and largest city) is Dhaka, located in central Bangladesh. The official state language is Bengali. The name Bangladesh means "Country of Bengal" in the official Bengali language.

The borders of present-day Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal during the reign and demise of the British India. Its map was chartered by Sir Cycil Radcliffe during the creation of Pakistan and India in 1947, when the region became East Pakistan, part of the newly formed nation of Pakistan. Due to political exclusion and economic exploitation by the politically-dominant West Pakistan, popular agitation grew against West Pakistan and led to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, after the declaration of Independence on 26 March 1971. With the direct & indirect help of India, 9 months of war come to an end on 16 December 1971 by the surrender of the Pakistan Army at Race Course, just after 10 days of direct action of the Indian Army. After independence, the new state endured an inept and corrupt administration, nationalising all aspects of life, that resulted in famines, poverty, widespread corruption, as well as political turmoil and unrest in the civil and military administration. The restoration of order in late 1975 brought back confidence and hope back into the lives of the citizens and the country.

Since 1991 has been followed by relative calm and economic progress.

Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy, with an elected parliament called the Jatiyo Sangshad. It is the ninth most populous country and among the most densely populated countries in the world. Just like in the rest of South Asia the poverty rate prevails, although the United Nations has acclaimed Bangladesh for achieving tremendous progress in human development. Geographically, the country straddles the fertile Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta and is subject to annual monsoon floods and cyclones.

The country is listed among the Next Eleven economies. It is a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the D-8 and BIMSTEC, and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement. However, Bangladesh continues to face a number of major challenges, including widespread political and bureaucratic corruption, widespread poverty, and an increasing danger of hydrologic shocks brought on by ecological vulnerability to climate change.

History Remnants of civilisation in the greater

Bengal region date back four thousand years, when the region was settled by Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman, and AustroAsiatic peoples. The exact origin of the word "Bangla" or "Bengal" is not known, though it is believed to be derived from Bang, the Dravidian-speaking tribe that settled in the area around the year 1000 BCE. The kingdom of Gangaridai was formed from at least the 7th century BCE, which later united with Bihar under the Magadha, Nanda, Mauryan and Sunga Empires. Bengal was later part of the Gupta Empire and Harsha Empire from the 3rd to the 6th centuries CE. Following its col- Somapura Mahavihara in Paharpur, Bangladesh, is the lapse, a dynamic Bengali named greatest Buddhist Viharain the Indian Subcontinent, Shashanka founded an impressive short- built by Dharmapala of Bengal. lived kingdom. After a period of anarchy, the Bengali Buddhist Pala dynasty ruled the region for four hundred years, followed by a shorter reign of the Hindu Sena dynasty.

Medieval European geographers located paradise at the mouth of the Ganges and although this was overhopeful, Bengal was probably the wealthiest part of the subcontinent until the 16th century. The area's early history featured a succession of Hindu empires, internal squabbling, and a tussle between Hinduism and Buddhism for dominance.

Islam was introduced to the Bengal region in the 12th century by Arab Muslim merchants; Sufi missionaries, and subsequent Muslim rule helped spread Islam throughout the region. Bakhtiar Khilji, a Turkish general, defeated Lakshman Sen of the Sena dynasty and conquered large parts of Bengal in the year 1204. The region was ruled by several sultans, Hindu states and land-lords-Baro-Bhuiyans for the next few hundred years. By the 16th century, the Mughal Empire controlled Bengal, and Dhaka became an important provincial centre of Mughal administration.

The Maratha Empire, a Hindu empire which overran the Mughals in the 18th century, also devastated the territories controlled by the Nawab of Bengal between 1742 and 1751. In a series of raids on Bengal and Bihar, then ruled by the Nawab, Maratha demolished much of the Bengali economy, which was unable to withstand the continuous onslaught of Maratha for long. Nawab Ali Vardi Khan made peace with Maratha by ceding the whole of Orissa and parts of Western Bengal to the empire. In addition, this a tax – the Chauth, amounting to a quarter of total revenue – was imposed on other parts of Bengal and Bihar. This tax amounted to twenty lakhs (of rupees?) for Bengal and 12 lakhs for Bihar per year. After Maratha's defeat in Panipat by a coalition of Muslim forces, the empire returned under the Maratha general Madhoji Sindhia and raided Bengal again. The British Empire stopped payment of the Chauth, invading the territory of Bengal in 1760s. The raids continued until Maratha was finally defeated by the British over the course of three Anglo-Maratha Wars, lasting from 1777 to 1818.

From 1517 onwards, Portuguese traders from Goa were traversing the sea-route to Bengal. Only in 1537, were they allowed to settle and open customs houses at Chittagong. In 1577, Mughal emperor Akbar permitted the Portuguese to build permanent settlements and churches in Bengal. The influence of European traders grew until the British East India Company gained control of Bengal following the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The bloody rebellion of 1857— known as the Sepoy Mutiny—resulted in transfer of authority to the crown with a British viceroy running the administration. During colonial rule, famine racked South Asia many times, including the war-induced Great Bengal famine of 1943 that claimed 3 million lives.

Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones, with Dhaka being the capital of the eastern zone.

When the exit of the British Empire in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines, with the western part going to newly created India and the eastern part (Muslim majority) joining Pakistan as a province called East Bengal(later renamed East Pakistan), with its capital at Dhaka. In 1950, land reform was accomplished in East Bengal with the abolishment of the feudal zamindari system. Despite the economic and demographic weight of the east, however, Pakistan's government and military were largely dominated by the upper classes from the west. The Bengali Language Movement of 1952 was the first sign of friction between the two wings of Pakistan. Dissatisfaction with the central government over economic and cul- Lalbagh Fort, constructed in the mid-17th tural issues continued to rise through the next decade, century in Dhaka during the reign of Auduring which the Awami League emerged as the po- rangzeb. litical voice of the Bengali-speaking population. It agitated for autonomy in the 1960s, and in 1966, its president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Mujib), was jailed; he was released in 1969 after an unprecedented popular uprising. In 1970, a massive cyclone devastated the coast of East Pakistan, killing up to half a million people, and the central government responded poorly. The Bengali population's anger was compounded when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose Awami League won a majority in Parliament in the 1970 elections, was blocked from taking office.

After staging compromise talks with Mujib, President Yahya Khan and military officials launched Operation Searchlight, a sustained military assault on East Pakistan and arrested him in the early hours of 26 March 1971. Yahya's methods were extremely bloody, and the violence of the war resulted in many civilian deaths. Chief targets included intellectuals and Hindus, and about one million refugees fled to neighbouring India. Estimates of those massacred throughout the war range from thirty thousand to 3,000,000. Mujibur Rahman was ultimately released on 8 January 1972, due to direct US intervention.

Awami League leaders set up a government-in-exile in Calcutta, India. The exile government formally took oath at Meherpur, in Kustia district of East Pakistan on 17 April 1971, with Tajuddin Ahmad as the first Prime Minister and Syed Nazrul Islam as the Acting President.

The Bangladesh Liberation War lasted for nine months. The Bangladesh Forces formed within 11 sectors led by General M.A.G. Osmani consisting of Bengali Regular forces conducted a massive guerilla war against the Pakistan Forces with support from the Mukti Bahinis consisting of Kaderia Bahni, Hemayet Bahini, and others financed and equipped by Indian Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Sujat Singh Uban. Indian Army swooped in with the help of the BDF forces and negotiated a cease-fire and surrounded the Dhaka Area. The Indian Army remained in Bangladesh until 19 March 1972.

After its independence, Bangladesh was governed by a Awami League government, with Mujib as the Prime Minister, without holding any elections. In the 1973 parliamentary elections, the Awami League gained an absolute majority.

A nationwide famine occurred during 1973 and 1974, and in early 1975, Mujib initiated a one-party socialist rule with his newly formed BAKSAL. On 15 August 1975, Mujib and most of his family members were assassinated by midlevel military officers. Vice President Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed was sworn in as President with most of Mujib's cabinet intact. Two Army uprisings on 3 November and the other on 7 November 1975 led to the reorganised structure of power. Emergency was declared to restore order and calm, Mushtaq resigned and the country was placed under temporary martial law, with three service chiefs serving as deputies to the new president Justice Abu Satem, who also became the Chief Martial Law Administrator. Lieutenant General Ziaur Rahman, took over the presidency in 1977 as Justice Sayem resigned. President Zia reinstated multi-party politics, introduced free markets, and founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Zia's rule ended when he was assassinated by elements of the military in 1981.

Bangladesh's next major ruler was Lieutenant General Hossain Mohammad Ershad, who gained power in a coup on March 24, 1982, and ruled until 6 December 1990, when he was forced to resign after a revolt of all major political parties and the public, along with pressure from western donors (which was a major shift in international policy after the fall of the Soviet Union). Since then, Bangladesh has reverted to a parliamentary democracy. Zia's widow, Khaleda Zia, led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to parliamentary victory at the general election in 1991, and became the first female Prime Minister in Bangladeshi history. However, the Awami League, headed by Sheikh Hasina, one of Mujib's surviving daughters, won the next election in 1996. It lost again to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in 2001.

On 11 January 2007, following widespread political unrest spearheaded by the Awami League, the Bangladesh civil and military establishment supported the establishment of a neutral caretaker government. The caretaker government was appointed to administer the next general election. The country had suffered from extensive corruption, disorder and political violence. The caretaker government made it a priority to root out corruption from all levels of government.

To this end, many notable politicians and officials, along with large numbers of lesser officials and party members, were arrested on corruption charges. The caretaker government held what it itself described as a largely free and fair election on 29 December 2008. The Awami League's Sheikh Hasina won with a landslide in the elections and took the oath of Prime Minister on 6 January 2009.

Waffle Day SWEDEN - M a r 2 5

Waffle Day is a tradition that is celebrated in Sweden, and to a lesser extent elsewhere, on March 25. Waffles are typically eaten on this day. The name comes from Vårfrudagen ("Our Lady's Day"), which in vernacular Swedish sounds almost like Våffeldagen (waffle day).

Our Lady's Day is celebrated on March 25 (nine months before Christmas), the Christian holiday of Annunciation, and the Waffle Day is hence celebrated on the same day although it has no religious connections to Our Lady's Day.

Maryland Day U.S. - M a r 2 5

Maryland Day is a legal holiday in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is observed on the anniversary of the March 25, 1634, landing of settlers in the Province of Maryland. On this day settlers fromThe Ark and The Dove first stepped foot onto Maryland soil, at St. Clement's Island in the Potomac River. The colony was granted to Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore two years prior by Charles I of England. In thanksgiving for the safe landing, Jesuit Father Andrew White celebrated mass for the colonists, perhaps for the first time ever in this part of the world. The landing coincided with the Feast of the Annunciation, a holy day honoring Mary, and the start of the new year in England's legal calendar (prior to 1752).

The holiday began in 1903, the date chosen by the state board of education to honor Maryland history. In 1916, the legislature authorized Maryland Day as a legal holiday (Chapter 633, Acts of 1916).

Lady Day U.K. - M a r 2 5

In the western Liturgical year, Lady Day is the traditional name of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin (25 March) in some English speaking countries. It is the first of the four tradiEnglish tional quarter days. The "Lady" was the Virgin Mary. The term derives from Middle English, some when nouns lost their genitive inflec"Lady" tions. would later gain an -s genitive ending, and therefore the name means "Lady's day."

Non-religious significance In England, Lady Day was New Year's Day

up to 1752 when, following the move from theJulian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar, 1 January became the start of the year. A vestige of this remains in the United Kingdom's tax year, which starts on 6 April, i.e. Lady Day adjusted for the lost days of the calendar change (until this change Lady Day had been used as the start of the legal year). (The liturgical and calendar years should be distinguished. It The Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci (1472-1475) appears that in England and Wales, from Uffizi Gallery. at least the late 14th Century, New Year's Day was celebrated on 1 January as part of Yule.)

As a year-end and quarter day that conveniently did not fall within or between the seasons for ploughing and harvesting, Lady Day was a traditional day on which year-long contracts between landowners and tenant farmers would begin and end in England and nearby lands (although there were regional variations). Farmers' time of "entry" into new farms and onto new fields was often this day. As a result, farming families who were changing farms would travel from the old farm to the new one on Lady Day. After the calendar change, "Old Lady Day" (6 April), the former date of the Annunciation, largely assumed this role. The date is significant in some of the works of Thomas Hardy,e.g., Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd.

The logic of using Lady Day as the start of the year is that it roughly coincides with Equinox (when the length of day and night is equal); many ancient cultures still use this time as the start of the new year, for example, the Iranian new year. In some traditions it also reckons years A.D. from the moment of the Annunciation, which is considered to take place at the moment of the conception of Jesus at the Annunciation rather than at the moment of his birth at Christmas.

In Swedish the word våffla is attested since 1642 and derives from the German Waffel but is possibly associated by [our Swedish] ancestors with Vår Fru (The Virgin Mary). Waffles are even today in a large number of Swedish households commonly served on Våffeldagen, that is to say, on Lady Day, which is observed the 25th of March.

Prince Kūhiō Day U.S., Hawaii Mar 26

Prince Kūhiō Day is an official holiday in the state of Hawaiʻi in the United States. It is celebrated annually on March 26, to mark the birth of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole — heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, prince of the House of Kalākaua, and later territorial delegate to the United States Congress. As Delegate, Kuhio authored the first Hawaii Statehood bill in 1919. He also won passage of the Hawaiian Homes Act, creating the Hawaiian Homes Commission and setting aside 200,000 acres (810 km2) of land for Hawaiian homesteaders.

It is one of only two holidays in the United States dedicated to royalty, the other being Hawaiʻi'sKing Kamehameha Day June 11.

Doctor's Day U.S. - M a r 3 0

The first Doctors Day observance was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia. Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, decided to set aside a day to honor physicians. This first observance included the mailing greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of deceased doctors. The red carnation is commonly used as the symbolic flower for National Doctors Day. On March 30, 1958, a Resolution Commemorating Doctors Day was adopted by the United States House of Representatives. In 1990, legislation was introduced in the House and Senate to establish a national Doctors Day. Following overwhelming approval by the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, on October 30, 1990, President George Bush signed S.J. RES. #366 (which became Public Law 101-473) designating March 30, 1991 as "National Doctors Day." Doctors Day marks the date that Crawford W. Long, M.D., of Jefferson, GA, administered the first ether anesthetic for surgery on March 30, 1842. On that day, Dr. Long administered ether anesthesia to a patient and then operated to remove a tumor from the man’s neck. Later, the patient would swear that he felt nothing during the surgery and wasn’t aware the surgery was over until he awoke.

Liberation Shouter Day - Mar 30 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

Spiritual/Shouter Baptist Liberation Day is an annual public holiday celein the brated Trinidad and Tobago on March 30. The holiday commemorates the repeal on March 30, 1951, of the 1917 Shouter Prohibition Ordinance that prohibited the activities of the Shouter or Spiritual Baptist faith.

Trinidad and Tobago is the only country in the world that celebrates a public holiday for the Spiritual Baptist faith.

Cesar Chavez Day U.S., California - Mar 31

César Chávez's birthday, March 31, is celebrated in California as a state holiday, intended to promote service to the community in honor of Chávez's life and work. Many, but not all, state government offices, community colleges, and libraries are closed. Many public schools in the state are also closed. Texas also recognizes the day, and it is an optional holiday in Arizona and Colorado. Although it is not a federal holiday, the President proclaims March 31 as César Chávez Day in the United States, with Americans being urged to "observe this day with appropriate service, community, and educational programs to honor Cesar Chavez's enduring legacy."

National Day MALTA - Mar 31

March 31, 1979 is remembered in the Maltese calendar as Freedom Day (Maltese: Jum ilĦelsien).

This is the anniversary of the withdrawal of British troops and the Royal Navy from Malta.

On taking power in 1971, the Labour Government indicated it wanted to renegotiate the lease agreement with the United Kingdom. Following protracted and sometimes tense talks, a new agreement was signed whereby the lease was extended till the end of March 1979 at a vastly increased rent. On March 31, 1979 the last British Forces left Malta. For the first time in millennia, Malta was no longer a military base of a foreign power and it became independent de facto as well as de jure.

A monument on the Birgu (Vittoriosa) waterfront commemorates this event.

Earth Hour Worldwide - Mar 31

Earth Hour is a global event organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature, also known as World Wildlife Fund) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.

Earth Hour was conceived by WWF and The Sydney Morning Herald in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights. Following Sydney's lead, many other cities around the world adopted the event in 2008. Earth Hour 2012 will take place on March 31, 2012 from 8:30p.m. to 9:30p.m., at participant's local time.

2012 It was announced that Earth Hour 2012

will take place on March 31, 2012 from 8:30pm to 9:30pm.

In February, Earth Hour launched its 2012 campaign, “I Will If You Will”, with the intention of engaging its growing global community to go beyond the hour. Using a dedicated YouTube platform , IWIYW asks Earth Hour's digital community to inspire people from all corners of the globe to take sustainability actions, and to share their commitment to the environment with their own social media networks.

Executive Director and Co-Founder Andy Ridley said, "Earth Hour’s challenge is no longer to connect people; the challenge is to offer a reason to connect. Any movement of change begins with symbolism - it’s a needed step to prove enough people care about an issue. Earth Hour is past the beginning now, and lots of people are switching their lights off every year in March. We’re now at the stage of taking it beyond the hour."

Further proof of Earth Hour's change in direction came when it was announced its global headquarters was moving from Sydney to Singapore. A launch event took place at ION Orchard on February 20, where it was announced that the move was supported by Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB).

The Earth Hour YouTube platform hosts a global library of “I Will If You Will” challenges, and encourages people to share their dare publically through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email. Friends can be invited to participate and accept each challenge using these popular social networks.

HUNGARY Hungary not surprised by EU criticism, Orban 22 (Online HunMar) gary's governis ment out carrying strong, swift and deep reand forms therefore criticisms by the European Union do not come as a surprise, Prime Minister Viktor said Orban during a visit to on Munich Thursday.

In an interview to public-serBayvice e r i s c h e r Rundfunk, Orban said the background to international political attacks against Hungary lay in the fact that the Hungarian electorate had voted the liberals out of parliament while the Socialists had lost their significance, the prime minister's spokesman told journalists.

"They are now trying to reestablish themselves from the outside," said Szijjarto, citing Orban.

Szijjarto said Orban had also told the broadcaster that Hungary's system for administration of justice was on the whole more democratic than Austria's or Germany's because in Hun-

gary it is overseen by parliament whereas in Austria and Germany it is under government supervision.

Orban said the ruling Fidesz party had promised during the election campaign to introduce significant changes to the administration of justice system because people's trust in the system had deteriorated due to long drawn-out cases. Before the new Hungarian system gets condemned, it would be reasonable to at least wait for the first results and see how the new system works, he added.

Commenting on the freedom of the press, he said there was no reason

to be ashamed given that a major part of the Hungarian media is under German ownand ership have they comnever plained about problems with the freedom of the press, Szijjarto said, citing Orban.

He added that in progress Hungary's competitiveness was well demonstrated by the fact that Bavarian companies have invested more in Hungary than in China and India.

Orban is in Munich for a one-day visit where his schedule includes meetings with the management of Siemens and Audi, Bavarian Finance Minister Markus Soder and MinisterPresident of Bavaria Horst Seehofer.

Later in the afternoon, the Hungarian Prime Minister will address a Bavarian chamber of commerce.

The Hungarian delegation also includes Economy Minister Gyorgy Matolcsy and Laszlo Parragh, head of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Deputy PM outlines govt response on contentious laws to CoE SecGen The govern22 (Online had ment HunMar) the asked gary's Deputy Venice ComPrime Minister an mission, Tibor Navracadvisory body sics met Thorto the CoE, to bjorn Jagland, formulate recSecretary ommendations General of the on its judiciary Council of Euand reform rope, in Buchurch law and on dapest the CoE to Wednesday to comment on d i s c u s s media the changes prolaws, he said. posed by the On the judicigovernment to ary reform, he several laws said the Counrecently criticil's position is cised by the that too much Council of Euhad power rope. been concenThe govern- Thorbjorn Jagland, Navracsics Tibor (photo: Csaba Pelsőczy) trated in the ment is ready to submit to parliament modifications ments are being prepared to the law, hands of the National Judicial Ofto the new media laws, parts of which was rendered in part unconsti- fice's head. He added that his instiwhich have recently been rendered tutional by Hungary's top court in De- tution recognised the amendments the Hungarian unconstitugovernment tional by Hunanhas top gary's nounced, but court, NavracVenice the sics told a Commission press conferthat feels held ence "some more with jointly has to be Jagland. done".

Navracsics As regards the said the govmedia laws, ernment had the Council rethe asked gards the role Constitutional of the Media Court to proCouncil excesvide a detailed sive, Jagland explanation of said, adding its ruling bethat the govfore it prepares ernment's lata proposal for s t e changes. The amendments new legislation had not yet can be ap- Thorbjorn Jagland, Navracsics Tibor (photo: Csaba Pelsőczy) asbeen proved by parcember. The parts in question sessed. liament by the end of May, he said.

Navracsics said his meeting with concerned the regulation of content Jagland said the European Union Jagland had focused on the Venice in the printed press, protection of has no competence over several isCommission's opinions on Hungary's journalists' sources, requirements of sues that were addressed at the data provision and the institution of meeting, but the independence of the judicial reform and church law.

The Venice Commission, the CoE's media and telecommunications com- judiciary and freedom of expression were important European norms and advisory body, issued opinions ear- missioner. lier this week which were critical of On the subject of the church law, Hungary's response to the now isHungary's judicial reform and the Navracsics said he had told Jagland sued recommendations will be imthat the government's aim in restrict- portant for the European church law.

Navracsics said the government had ing the number of recognised Commission. submitted proposals for amend- churches in Hungary was to create Jagland's visit comes on the heels of ments on the laws on the courts and more transparency regarding the so- the Venice Commission's opinions judges, which it expects would give called business-churches and ex- released earlier this week, which was answers to the Commission's con- clude them from eligibility for tax critical of Hungary's judicial reform and the church law. It said that the cerns. He added that the interests of benefits. the Council and the government co- Jagland said his talks with Prime basic elements of the changes to the incided, as both wanted an inde- Minister Viktor Orban and Navracsics court system were problematic, inpendent more efficient judiciary to had been "constructive" and that di- cluding the way the system is organalogue would continue with the Hun- ised and that the rules on legal operate in Hungary. procedures deviated from European Navracsics said he had told Jagland garian government. the reform aims at building a system He told the joint press conference norms, while the independence of which builds on good traditions of with Navracsics that he had come to the courts themselves are in doubt. self-administration and which aims to Budapest to help Hungary - with the The Venice Commission also said increase efficiency by separating the assistance of the CoE's expertise - to the church law broadly accords with posts of supreme court Curia presi- meet norms, standards, important liberal free-choice requirements but dent and the head of the new Na- obligations, clauses in the European several aspects of the law are probhuman rights charter. He said the lematic and fail to live up to international Judicial Office.

On the subject of the media laws, CoE applied the same standard pro- tional standards.

Navracsics said that several amend- cedures in all 47 member states.

The Gov e r nm e nt ha s a dopt e d t he N a t iona l R ur a l St r a te gy 21 (Online "The Mar) Government is treating agriculture as an important spring-board", stressed AnGiródrás Szász at the press conferon ence Wednesday at which he and for Minister Rural Development Sándor Fazekas jointly announced that the Government had the passed proposal re- András Giró-Szász (photo: Ernő Horváth) the garding a chasm that has been gaping for National Rural Strategy.

András Giró-Szász stated, "Accord- many years now. The adoption of the ing to the Government's standpoint, programme was preceded by a sothe security of a nation depends on its handling rural areas and agriculture as a resource. The protection of two these areas is a strategic goal.

The Government is treating agriculture as an imporspringtant board, and it is important that as many people as possible choose high quality, safe and GMO-free Sándor Fazekas (photo: Ernő Horváth) Hungarian foods and food products", he added. cial debate lasting more than one Sándor Fazekas stressed that the year. Tens of thousands of observacreation of the National Rural Strat- tions and the material from numeregy means the successful filling in of ous studies have been worked into the 130-page Strategy to ensure the

creation of a competitive rural countryside and agriculture.

The Minister explained that certain results already show how important the agricultural sector is for country, the and for this reason, the retention of both local and foreign markets is a goal of great importance.

"The Strategy is committed to supporting run family farms, protecting our environmental treasures, and ensuring sustainable farming in Hungary" – stressed Sándor Fazekas.

"The National Rural Strategy also includes several important objectives: it plans to inthe crease of number empeople ployed in agriculture to 700 thousand by 2020, to inthe crease ratio of products directly distributed locally by farmto 20 ers percent, and to increase the proportion of young farmers from 21 to 30 percent. To this end, the Government is providing support through several programmes" – said the Minister for Rural Development.

IM F ne got ia t ions m us t f oc us on e c onom ic a nd f ina nc ia l is s ue s (Online 20 Mar) Convergence in the positions of Hungary and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was seen in their agreement that economic and financial issues must be in the focus of IMF negotiations, minister without portfolio Tamás Fellegi said to MTI in Washington after two days of informal discussions held with IMF in the US capital.

The minister without portfolio in charge of negotiations with international organisations met Reza Moghadam, Director of the IMF's European Department, Willy Kiekens, Executive Director of IMF’s Board, and Christoph Rosenberg, IMF’s mission chief for Hungary. Consultations regarded the date and terms of starting negotiations on the precautionary standby loan.

Tamás Fellegi, minister without portfolio and Hungarian mission chief of the IMF talks arrives at the IMF headquarters in Washington for discussion with competent officials MTI, photo by: Demeter Pogár

“With a round closed as a result of consultations with the European Union on infringement proceedings, the time has come to deal with issues beyond the infringement proceedings and extend consultations to institutions not included in the infringement proceedings, such as IMF and the European Central Bank,” Tamás Fellegi stressed.

“Significant convergence is seen in the positions. I can say there is absolute mutual agreement in the fact that these talks are about an economic and financial package, and as we are still in the preparatory phase, the IMF is not interested in setting terms of political nature, as they would prevent the start of negotiations on economic and financial issues. Naturally, this is our opinion”, the minister added.

“We think the parties must clearly focus on economic and economy management issues, and in our opinion under the current conditions the required compromise measures

have been taken in connection with the infringement, thus on our side there is nothing to prevent us from starting the negotiations”, Tamás Fellegi added.

“I have absolute confidence in the solution. As recently we made it clear, the Hungarian Government is committed to the negotiations, we are not playing on time, or as it is put here in Washington, we do not play the Turkish card. We clearly endeavour to launch and successfully complete negotiations as soon as possible. This is in the interest of the market, the population and the Hungarian people”, Tamás Fellegi stressed.

The expression “Turkish card” refers to the Turkish Government’s previous practice of postponing the start of negotiations with the IMF just to improve the country’s capital market ranking, but officially never requested the start of talks.

Parliamentary debate on amendment of data protection law is about to begin (Online 20 Mar) The parliamentary debate on the amendment of the data protection law is to begin on Tuesday. The proposed amendments which serve to address and rectify the concerns raised by the European Commission were presented to Parliament by Minister of Public Administration and Justice Tibor Navracsics on 9 March. The parliamentary debate on these proposed amendments commenced today.

The purpose of the amendments to the Act on the Right to Information Autonomy and the Freedom of Information is to make changes that further reinforce the independence of the Chair of the National Data Protection and Freedom of Information Authority. The amendments take account of the concerns raised by the European Commission and propose their entry into force within the shortest possible time.

The proposed amendments would, inter alia, remove the power of the head of state to terminate the mandate of the Chair of the National Data Protection and Freedom of Information Authority, based on the Prime Minister’s recommendation, if he/she is unable to perform his/her duties for more than three months.

According to the proposed amendments, the Prime Minister would only have the power to initiate the removal of the chair of the data protection authority on account of the emergence of a conflict of interests or due to the violation of the rules regarding the issuance of financial disclosure statements; in the latter case, if the chair wilfully provides material facts or data incorrectly. At the same time, the chair of the authority would be able to contest the Prime Minister’s motion before a court of law within 30 days. The chair of the au-

thority would be required to institute a lawsuit against the Prime Minister before the Metropolitan Labour Court, which must proceed without delay. The President of the Republic would only have the power to terminate the mandate of the chair of the data protection authority if the court finds the proposed removal wellfounded.

Another proposed amendment prescribes ten years’ relevant experience, in contrast to the present five, for the appointment of the chair of the authority, and maintains fives years’ experience in the case of his/her deputy.

Additionally, the Government would enable the chair of the data protection authority to attend and address the meetings of the parliamentary committees, and consequently to review bills presented to the House in person.

The proposed amendments would enter into force on the day following their promulgation. Tibor Navracsics argues this is necessary on account of the ongoing EU proceedings.

The passage of a new data protection law was made necessary by Hungary’s new Fundamental Law taking effect in 2012. The new data protection regulations confirmed that the Government and Parliament were committed to the effective safeguarding of fundamental rights and the Government regarded the protection of the basic constitutional rights of citizens as a fundamental element of guarantee. Hungary’s FunLaw constitutionally damental guarantees the monitoring by an independent authority of the enforcement of the right to the protection of personal data and the right of the individual to obtain access to data of public interest. The Hungarian Au-

thority is independent; it is only subjected to the rule of law, may not be instructed within the sphere of its responsibilities and does not form part of the hierarchical system of public administration. Parliament passed the Act on the Right to Information Autonomy and the Freedom of Information as a cardinal law on 11 July 2011. The purpose of the legislation is to define the actual content of information rights in the interest of the enforcement of fundamental rights and to guarantee the effective enforcement of these rights. By virtue of the passage of the law, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Data Protection has been replaced by the National Data Protection and Freedom of Information Authority.

The European Commission announced on 7 March that it is continuing the accelerated infringement proceedings instituted against Hungary on 17 January on the independence of the data protection supervisor and the retirement age of judges, and requests the Hungarian Government to provide additional information on the central bank’s independence. The EU’s central recommendatory and executive institution will send two reasoned opinions to Budapest on the first two topics. In accordance with the relevant EU procedures, if the Commission does not accept the given Member State’s replies to its reasoned opinion, the case may be taken to the Luxembourg-based European Court. The European Commission has repeatedly given Hungary one month to respond to the opinions, in contrast to the time limit of two months that is customary in proceedings of this kind.

Govt agrees to prepare the statutory background for the settlement of the country’s communist past: Orbán (Online 19 Mar) The Government agrees to prepare the statutory background for the settlement of the country’s communist past, and will complete the job, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a press conference on Monday, in Budapest.

The Prime Minister told journalists that the Fidesz-KDNP parliamentary faction alliance had adopted a decision regarding the country’s stateparty past at its meeting held on Monday morning. Members of Parliament from the governing party alliance requested the Cabinet to prepare by 15 May the legal rules which permit the establishment of the National Remembrance Committee, an organisation dedicated to uncov-

ering the crimes of the communist regime.

Viktor Orbán explained, now that the constitutional foundations have been laid down in the new Fundamental Law „which enable us to process communism as part of our heritage, we are able to also uncover and explore the elements of this heritage that we are not familiar with". The parliamentary faction requested the establishment of a National Remembrance Committee, and urged the Government that the package of legal rules related to the country’s communist heritage be completed before the end of the present legislative session of Parliament. "They requested the Government to create

the necessary conditions. I naturally agreed to oblige, and we’ll complete the job”, the Prime Minister said.

It will be the Committee’s duty to identify the leaders of the communist dictatorship and their respective responsibility for the crimes of communism. The Committee must explore the question of „lustration”, in other words, to what extent and how former leaders may participate in public life, while the Committee will also have to enquire into the role of the communist party, the issue of the pensions of former communist leaders, the fate of former party assets and the functioning and operation of the Ministry of the Interior and the law enforcement agencies.

The countries of Central Europe know what democracy is like because they know dictatorship 19 (Online The Mar) Prime Minister believes that in countries EuCentral know rope what democracy is like bethey cause know dictatorViktor ship.

Orbán made this statement after a meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha in Budapest on Monday, who spoke about the importance of strengthen- Sali Berisha and ing the two countries’ economic and educational ties.

Viktor Orbán said, he always listened with interest to the remarks regarding democracy of those who never lived in dictatorship; he, however, heeds more the words conc e r n i n g democracy of those who actually experie n c e d dictatorship.

Only those will know well enough the meaning of white who know what black is like, Sali Berisha and the Premier remarked in illustration, and added, the countries of Central Europe know what democracy is like because they know dictatorship, „and the dictatorship suffered by Albania was one of the most brutal types”. Therefore, if anyone knows what democracy and freedom are like, it must be the Albanians, he said and turning to Sali Berisha, the Prime Minister added, he was most delighted to welcome a committed freedom fighter to Hungary.

In answer to a journalist’s question, Viktor Orbán remarked, he is more

important regions from the respect of European stability. „The next 15 to 20 years demonwill Albastrate nia’s increased significance, both in European stability and from an economic point of view", he opined, and added, Hungary therefore regards Albania and the enBalkan tire region as a strategic partViktor Orbán (photo: Károly Árvai) ner. afraid of regimes that, whilst giving Sali Berisha stressed, among other the impression of being democratic, things, that the two countries’ ecoare based on permanent compro- nomic and educational ties should be strengthened, and further said thanks for the assistance provided with his country’s NATO membership.

According to the Albanian Prime Minister, Albania is bec o m i n g stronger every day, and its economic climate is better than ever. He mentioned as an example that new motorways were being built in Viktor Orbán (photo: Károly Árvai) Albania, and mises and secret pacts than of open Albania was also seeking to obtain debates. Albania today conforms to the contributions of Hungarian firms all democratic standards that are in these projects. necessary for EU membership, and He also added, Viktor Orbán pledged therefore the state of democracy and to provide help with enabling more political debate in Albania does not Albanian students to come to study give rise to any concern on the EU’s in Hungary, while the Albanians part, he stated. would like to adopt Hungary’s higher At the same time, Viktor Orbán education funding model. stressed the importance of Albania In response to Viktor Orbán’s words, gaining accession to the EU within the Albanian Prime Minister conthe shortest possible time. He ar- firmed, the Albanians were comgued, Albania is an important coun- pelled to experience perhaps the try, and will be even more important hardest dictatorship compared with in the future; it is a growing state other states. which is situated in one of the most

Amendments to the Act on the Courts submitted to Parliament (Online 19 Mar) Taking account of the comments made by the Venice Commission, the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice has prepared its proposed amendments to the Act on the Courts. Tibor Navracsics, Minister of Public Administration and Justice, submitted the proposals to Parliament on 15 March.

The aims of the bill are the following: to make the operation and administration of the judiciary even more efficient and transparent, through the clarification and augmenting of legislation related to the courts; and, with regards to central administration, to further strengthen the supervisory powers of the National Judicial Council (OBT) over the President of the Na-

tional Judiciary Office (OBH).

The bill transfers some of the administrative tasks of the President of the OBH to the OBT, and augments the existing supervisory powers of the OBT. In the future, the President of the OBH will only be able to exercise certain powers in accordance with principles prescribed by the OBT. This will apply, for example, when the President of the OBH wishes to depart from the order of preference established by the OBT in the selection of judges, or if the President selects a different court for a trial, due to lack of capacity in the previously appointed court.

Ultimately, the bill would provide the OBT with the ’right of consent’ during the assessment pro-

cedure for appointment of court executives and selection of judges, should the President of the OBH wish to appoint an applicant not supported by the judicial body, or should the President wish to depart from the judicial body’s order of preference.

The Act on the Organisation and Administration of Courts and the Act on Legal Status and Remuneration of Judges have created a legal framework necessary for the operation of the judiciary in Hungary which is of high quality and accords with the Fundamental Law, is uniform across the country, and is predictable and timely. The bill which has now been submitted makes no changes to this overall framework.

Foreign Ministry's statement on the launch of a satellite by North-Korea (MFA 19 Mar) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary expresses its deep concern over the announcement by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) of March 16 on its plans to launch a satellite into orbit between April 12 and 15, 2012.

The North-Korean plan puts in

question the credibility of the moratorium on missile tests recently announced by Pyongyang.

It would be contrary to the DPRK’s international obligations and would constitute a clear violation of UN Security Council resolution 1874. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary reiterates its

statement of 2 March 2012 which stated that only a consistent and verifiable execution of the assumed obligations undertaken may lead to the maintenance of peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the resumption of the Six-Party Talks.

New Queries from Brussels – Support for Red Mud Farmers Overdue (MRD 19 Mar) Brussels has so for requested additional information on three occasions regarding the support paid by the Hungarian Government to agricultural businesses affected by the red mud disaster. The latest queries arrived in early March.

The Ministry of Rural Development plans to provide more than one billion HUF in support to the 70-90 agricultural production and fish-farming businesses that suffered damages as a result of the red mud disaster, based on preliminary damage assessments. In view of the fact that Hungary is unable to begin payment of such support to agricultural businesses until Brussels has approved the payments, the Ministry informed

the Commission promptly on August 8, 2011.

Immediately following the disaster, the Ministry of Rural Development paid out 350 million HUF in emergency aid to the agricultural producers and food industry businesses affected. After the true extent of the damage had been assessed, it soon became apparent that the damages incurred by farmers was much higher than this initial sum, and so the Ministry decided to make further payments, of which it duly informed Brussels.

The European Union has two months in which to decide on the approval of the payments, or to request additional information. So far, the Commission has asked for

additional data on three occasions, keeping to the allotted deadline. These questions primarily concern details on Hungarian legislation and methods used to calculate support payments. Hungary has provided Brussels with its replies to these queries well in advance of the prescribed deadlines.

The Ministry of Rural Development hopes that now that these questions of a technical nature have been promptly replied to, the decree approving these support payments will arrive from Brussels shortly, and farmers who have suffered damages will soon receive the support they require.

The Buda Castle, the pride of Budapest may regain its original beauty (MNE Mar 23) The refurbishment of the Castle Bazaar and the royal gardens of the Buda Castle may begin this autumn. The Danube Bank side of the Buda Castle, a world heritage site, the so-called Castle Bazaar may finally be refurbished after decades of decay. This reconstruction project is one of the top priority projects of the Government. The refurbishment of the monument situated in the very heart of the capital, a sight that greatly determines the panoramic view of Budapest, is of particular significance also from a tourism point of view and for the entire national economy.

Already upon the launch of Hungary’s new development programme, the New Széchenyi Plan in 2011, the Government pledged to regard the refurbishment of one of the treasures of the Buda Castle, the Castle Bazaar left to decay for decades, as one of the most important national programmes. According to the contemplated schedule, the plans and designs for the reconstruction works will be completed by the autumn, and the tenders for the works will be invited as well.

The Castle Bazaar built between 1875 and 1883 originally served as a trade facility; its arcades were once full of shops. Its promenade was a favourite of Queen Sissi, wife of the

Austrian Emperor. The state of the Castle Bazaar has continuously deteriorated since the nineteen-eighties, which eventually led to the complete closure of the building complex. Regrettably, the monument of unparalleled beauty designed by Miklós Ybl, a world heritage site, has since 1996 been one of the world’s most endangered monuments.

Since March last year, Ferenc Zumbok, a ministerial and more recently a government commissioner has coordinated the preparations for the project. The Government adopted a decision on the commencement of the project last October, published its decision on the long-term development in November and finally declared the project a top national economy priority in December.

The Government wishes to refurbish and re-open to the public the Castle Bazaar and the royal gardens of the Buda Castle in public ownership. The Government is planning to commence the project worth HUF 8.5 billion, implemented in its entirety from EU funding, in autumn 2012 and to complete it by March 2014. Some of the preparatory works already began a year ago; the crumbling, dangerous pieces are being continuously removed from the project site, the Water Carrier stairs and their vicinity.

The project involves highly complex

tasks; in addition to the refurbishment of a listed site, the Government is also required to regulate traffic in the neighbourhood, to plan the navigation of small vessels on the Danube and to identify a development strategy. There are ongoing consultations regarding the contemplated project concepts with the professional organisations, authorities and civil organisations concerned.

According to plans, in addition to the restoration of the original beauty of the promenade once favoured by Queen Sissi, the whole of the site would accommodate a wide variety of services. The royal gardens situated on the garden terrace of the Castle Bazaar may become the pride and one of the greatest attractions of Budapest. According to plans, there will be a Baroque garden, a neoBaroque garden, a neo-Renaissance garden, an English landscaped garden, and a symbolic church and secular garden. The Castle Bazaar to be rebuilt shortly may become a genuine cultural site and a sophisticated entertainment district as underground cultural event halls, fine art studios, sculptor workshops, exhibition rooms, an outdoor stage, an underground parking facility, restaurants and sophisticated music venues will be created.

State secy calls for separate EC assessment of each member's Roma strategy (MTI Mar 23) The European Commission should include in a report due out in April a detailed assessment of each member's Roma strategy instead of a general and concise assessment of the Roma inclusion strategy in Europe, the Hungarian state secretary for social inclusion said on Thursday.

Zoltan Balog told a conference on Roma inclusion in Brussels that during the Hungarian presidency of the EU in the first part of last year, a Eu-

ropean framework strategy was approved and each of the 27 member states had to prepare their own strategy by the end of last year. Hungary was the first to submit its national strategy, Balog added.

Hungary is making efforts to involve in European Roma strategy programmes those Western Balkan states that are not yet EU members but are advancing integration. There are significant Roma populations in these countries and their problems

will become the EU's problems, as well, as their integration progresses, he added.

A major portion of funding for EU accession granted to these countries should be used for Roma integration, Balog said. He reiterated a proposal

by MEP Livia Jaroka, of the ruling Fidesz party, that countries of the Western Balkans should be helped to take up funds in order to prevent mistakes in Roma policy.

Next years hoped to be success story for Hungary, PM Orban says in Munich (MTI Mar 23) If Hungary wants to increase its competitiveness it has to tolerate criticism and fight each debate even if "its chances to win are limited with regard to the size of the country", Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a lecture in Munich on Thursday, but added that he hoped the next few years will be a success story for the country.

Speaking at the seat of Bavaria's business federation, Orban said that it is not in international papers that Hungary needs to win battles. "We must win in the real world… our only true friends are facts and reality. Hungary's economy must be successful and it must yield its results," he said.

The prime minister said that Hungar-

ians were at their best in emergency situations and insisted that "when it looks all hopeless they pull themselves together and build a success story".

Concerning the speed with which the Hungarian government was taking reform measures Orban said that if the process is slow, the reforms may elicit resistance and the process will require political compromises to go on. "We discuss them, make a decision, and introduce them irreversibly," he said. "If we fail to grab the great historic moments to make the big changes together, later we cannot make them because of divergence in individual views," Orban insisted.

On the subject of remarks concerning the European Commission in an address he had delivered on Hungary's March 15 national holiday, Orban said that he had "great respect" for the Commission, but added that "it must not be a respect overlooking all facts". He added, however, that he would never make a comparison between Brussels and the Soviet Union - as some interpretations of his address suggested.

He said that Germany remained very supportive towards Hungary to date, adding that without that support Hungary might not be standing firm on its feet.

Hungary Maintains its Presence in Operation EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia (MTI Mar 23) Hungary will maintain its presence in the EU-led military operation ALTHEA in Bosnia-Herzegovina as long as necessary, Defence Minister Csaba Hende told journalist at a press conference held after a meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Brussels on Thursday, 22nd March.

With its contingent of 163 troops – which is 13 per cent of the total strength of the mission – Hungary makes the largest contribution to ALTHEA among the EU-led operations, Csaba Hende said. Hungarian officers fill several high positions in ALTHEA, and the Chief of Staff of the operation is also Hungarian. The Minister also pointed out that Hungary and Austria effectively cooper-

ate in providing the troops stationed in the theatre and the reserve (overthe-horizon) forces within a scheme of rotation.

“We have long-term commitment to the mission”, Csaba Hende said. The Minister of Defence also noted that there are Hungarians among the troops contributed by 15 nations participating in the EU-led military training mission (EUTM) that is being conducted in Uganda – in the area known as the Horn of Africa – with a view to strengthening the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

One Hungarian staff officer is posted as advisor while another officer and two NCOs are doing their tour of duty as trainers.

The Minister of Defence told the press that NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen had also participated in the conference of EU Defence Ministers – although it had been organized within an EU framework – and that part of the discussions had focused on the preparations for the Chicago NATO Summit which will be held in May 2012. Accordingly, some strategic issues in European security policy were also on the agenda of the meeting. “The operation in Libya has shown us that European countries should take a leading role in managing crises that pose a direct threat to our security” – Csaba Hende noted in relation with this topic.

British-Hungarian government meeting held in Budapest (MPA&J Mar 22) Joint Hungarian-British governmental consultations held were today in Budapest headed

by UK Cabinet Minister Oliver Letwin and Minister of State Mihály Varga of the Prime Minister’s Office.

As part of the consultations, the delegations led by the two state ministers reviewed new, Photo: Károly Árvai innovative governmental measures serving to en- implemented within the framework of hance citizen welfare and satisfaction governance.

This meeting took place in the wake of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to London last November in the course of which he agreed with Prime Minister D a v i d Cameron that the governmental leaders of the two countries would conduct regular strategic meetings and consultations in the future as part of the cooperation of the two governments.

Govt congratulates Abel Prize Laureate mathematician Endre Szemerédi (MPA&J Mar 22) The Government of Hungary wishes to take this opportunity to congratulate academician Endre Szemerédi, who was awarded the Nobel Prize of mathematicians, the Abel Prize, for his fundamental contribution to the world of science.

This is now the second time a Hun-

garian scientist has been honoured with the prize established by the Norwegian Government, which is awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

The Government of Hungary, too, acknowledged Endre Szemerédi’s outstanding achievement in the field of

discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science as a truly remarkable contribution on the occasion of Hungary’s national holiday, 15 March. The mathematician was awarded the Széchenyi Prize.

Govt congratulates Abel Prize Laureate mathematician Endre Szemerédi (MPA&J Mar 22) The Government of Hungary wishes to take this opportunity to congratulate academician Endre Szemerédi, who was awarded the Nobel Prize of mathematicians, the Abel Prize, for his fundamental contribution to the world of science.

This is now the second time a Hun-

garian scientist has been honoured with the prize established by the Norwegian Government, which is awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

The Government of Hungary, too, acknowledged Endre Szemerédi’s outstanding achievement in the field of

discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science as a truly remarkable contribution on the occasion of Hungary’s national holiday, 15 March. The mathematician was awarded the Széchenyi Prize.

The extra tax for the telecom sector is not inconsistent with EU law MNE Mar 22) The Hungarian government regrets but acknowledges that the European Commission did not accept the legal arguments of the Hungarian reply of 29 November 2011, which had responded to the detailed EC statement in regard to the infringement procedure on the extra tax for the telecom sector, and it decided to refer the case to the European Court of Justice.

However, the Hungarian government

is convinced that the Hungarian regulations currently in force are fully compliant with EU law. The Hungarian government has been pointing out that sectoral extra taxes have not been levied only on the telecoms sector and this tax does not constitute an obstacle for entering the telecoms market. The objective of this measure has been to improve the balance of the budget under the circumstances brought about by the

economic crisis via taxpayers which are more capable of burden sharing than general tax liabilities would require. It is a kind of tax which was adopted lawfully, in the framework of national legislation – as there had been no relevant EU regulation.

The Hungarian government trusts that the European Court Of Justice – after having acknowledged Hungarian legal arguments – will dismiss the motion of the European Commission.

Compromise taking share regarding core network corridors MND Mar 22) Transport ministers of the Visegrád countries and six other EU Member States affected by the Cohesion Funds met Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas in Prague on 20 March 2012.

The purpose of the consultation held on the initiatives of the current Czech presidency of the Visegrád countries was to present the mutual positions on the draft regulations related to the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) before the Transport Council’s relevant meeting.

The Prague meeting was attended by delegations from the European Commission, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia. Head of the Hungarian delegation Pál Völner, Minister of State for Infrastructure pointed out that consistent cooperation between the Visegrád countries and the Commission’s flexibility the concept of core network corridors, which had been of major concern for several Member States, has taken a favourable turn. In the wake of the compromise proposals made by the Danish presidency, previous con-

cerns about these corridors eventually turning into an unwanted third level within the core network have been eased. The core network corridors focus exclusively on three fields: modal integration, transferability and the coordinated improvement of border crossing sections. In addition, several criticized provisions (e.g. the establishment of corridor platforms with legal personality or the opportunity provided for the Commission to take executive action) have been removed from the draft TEN-T regulation. As a result of the favourable amendments, Hungary is now ready to withdraw its reservations, previously confirmed on several occasions in connection with setting up core network corridors, during the 22 March Transport Council meeting.

Sharing other Member States’ opinion, the Minister of State gave voice to the Hungarian delegation’s disagreement with those elements of the draft regulation that prescribe the mandatory building of the core network by 2030 and set out the technical parameters of the rail core network lines. In the delegation’s opinion meeting the said deadline may only be undertaken if it is considered to be indicative rather than

mandatory, and is ready to accept the proposed tight technical criteria only for newly built and renovated railway lines. The reason for disagreement is that for shortage of funds, Hungary will almost certainly be unable to meet the above expectations for the complete railway core network by the end of the next decade.

The draft TEN-T regulation sets out the European Union’s transport network development directions up to 2050, starting with the introduction of an two-level comprehensive network divided into core network elements.

In the summer of 2011, the Commission announced the establishment of a new support facility, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), to replace TEN-T, and attached a list containing preliminary core network corridors, and more specifically pre-determined projects and so-called horizontal transport management topics.

Mr Völner added that Hungary invariably disagreed with earmarking EUR 10 billion of the Cohesion Fund for the purposes of the Connecting Europe Facility, and held to the distribution of the amount according to the cohesion policy rules.

The success of the SZÉP Card is greater than anticipated (MNE Mar 22) The popularity of the SZÉP Card has proven to be greater than it had been anticipated. According to the Ministry for National Economy, the electronic voucher card may already in this year generate extra demand worth ten billion forints for the domestic tourism industry. Employers transferred 10.5bn HUF to cover fringe benefits to electronic voucher cards in the first quarter.

From 15 April every POS terminal of the banks which have joined the system will be compatible with SZÉP Cards.

The number of employers who opted for SZÉP Cards has been rising steadily and by now more than 11 000 employers have joined this form of fringe benefit service system (“cafeteria”). The number of cards issued by the OTP, MKB and the K&H Group is higher than 355 000 and contracts have been concluded with almost 15 000 service providers.

The SZÉP Card is a new element of the reformed domestic fringe benefit services system. It includes three

subaccounts where employers can transfer as fringe benefits up to 450 000HUF for each employee, which amount can be entirely utilized for domestic accommodation. The Card is free of charge for both the employer and the employee and so is joining the system for service providers. The maximum rate of commission they are to pay for using the Card is only 1.5 percent. Thus the SZÉP Card is now the lowest cost electronic paying system in Hungary which can replace cash transfers.

The Card is easy to use; it is utilizable via an on-line internet platform or by a call center assistant, but the POS terminals of financial institutions are naturally also accessible. The terminals of financial institutions which have issued the Cards will be interconnected from the middle of April, therefore -- provided services providers have concluded the necessary contracts with the issuers – SZÉP Cards will be utilizable at any one terminal of the banks which had joined the system.

According to data from the three issuers, in the first quarter employers transferred 10.5bn HUF as fringe benefits to the electronic voucher cards. The most popular subaccounts of the fringe benefit system are those for hot meals and accommodation. Employers have transferred until now 4.8bn HUF altogether to the hot meal subaccount with an annual limit of 150 000HUF each, whereas 4.4bn HUF have been received by the accommodation subaccount with an annual limit of 225 000HUF each. The annual limit at a recreational subaccount is 75 000HUF, where employers have so far transferred 1.4bn HUF. The Ministry for National Economy expects that a substantial share of the amount paid to the recreational and hot meal subaccounts will also find its way to domestic accommodation providers, as the amounts received at these subaccounts and left unutilized are also allowed to be spent for accommodation costs.

We Are One Community MD Mar 18) We are working together for the future of Afghanistan and Baghlan Province.

Whatever nawe tionality have, we are to striving the achieve goal, same which is better life and better future for the of people Baghlan – this was stated at a ceremony the marking transfer of au- (Photo: MH PRT) thority between the 11th and the 12th rotations of the HDF Provincial Reconstruction (HUN Team PRT).

The high-rankAfghan ing guests invited to the March 4 ceremony included the governmental and religious leaders of Baghlan Province and the generals of the security organs. Representatives of the women’s affairs organi- (Photo: MH PRT) zations also attended the ceremony.

In his letter read out at the event, Maj.-Gen. Erich Pfeffer, the commander of ISAF Regional Command – North (ISAF RC-N) praised the troops of the PRT-11 rotation for the outstanding and arduous work they have done in the interest of creating a peaceful future for Afghanistan and Baghlan Province.

Monsi Abdul Majid, the governor of Baghlan Province delivered a speech, in which he stressed that it is always with a heavy heart that Afghan people say goodbye to the Hungarian troops. The Afghans cooperated with the Hungarians throughout six months, they got to know each other, but at the same time they were reassured to hear that

another troop rotation is already on the with way, whom they can work together as well.

“Part of me is sad because I have to leave my you, friends, while the other part of me is happy because I am going to return to my family” – Col. Romulusz the Ruszin, commander of the HUN PRT11 said. “We have successfully finished our job. We would like to the thank Afghan governmental and religious leaders and security organs as well as the commander of ISAF for the assistance and support we received from them over the last six months”.

In his speech, Lt.-Col. János Somogyi, the incoming commander of the HUN PRT-12 rotation pointed out that “We are one community sitting around the table.

We are working together for the future of Afghanistan and Baghlan Province. Whatever nationality we have, we are striving to achieve the same goal, which is better life and better future for the people of Baghlan.

Success for Hungarian Pálinkas at the Destillata Fruit Spirits Competition (MRD Mar 23) 26 Hungarian companies brought home 142 medals, including 18 gold, from the Destillata International Fruit Sprits Competition, the largest competition of its kind in Central Europe, held in Tyrol, Austria. awards The from the competition, held in March, were presented to Hungarian producers and disin tillers Budapest by Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy Wolfgang than in the previous year, although Lukas, Managing Director of Destil- no precise figures are yet available. lata, State Secretary for Rural Development V. Zsolt Németh, and Mrs. Gábor Panyik, President of the HungarPálinka ian Distillers' Guild Association.

"Distilling isn't pálinka just a craft, it's an art, creation itself. The creation of something new from fruit, sunshine, tradition and values" – said V. Zsolt Németh in his welcoming speech to the Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy winners.

In 2010, commercial distillers proThe State Secretary explained that in duced a total of 1.26 million litres of 2011 commercial distilleries had pro- (50 percent volume) pálinka. The duced around 5-10% more pálinka

quantity produced in hire distilleries was eight to ten times this amount.

He added, "Demand for hire distilling has increased significantly thanks to the liberalisation of propálinka duction. Comm e r c i a l producers are turning to crehigher ating quality products than previo u s l y " , surmised the State Secretary.

In addition to the 18 gold medals, the Hungarian businesses that entered the competition also won 65 silver and 59 b r o n z e the medals; most successful Hungarian competitor at Destillata was Agárdi the Pálinka Distillery. The comp a n y ' s products won a total of 4 gold medals, including the Distillate of the Year Award, as well as 8 silver and bronze 8 medals. 187 distilleries from 10 countries took part in the competition.

Public Service Training Challenges in France and Hungary MKI 24 Mar) Hungarian-French Conference Entitled “Modernisation Of Public Administration: Public Service Training Challenges in France and Hungary” was hosted by the Budapest French Institute on 21 March 2012.

The National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) together with its partner institute, the French National School of Administration - Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA), the Budapest French Institute (BFI) and the French Embassy in Budapest organised a joint conference with a programme to focus on giving a better understanding of the current public administration reforms in both countries.

The event enjoyed a high level of professional interest and provided French and Hungarian experts and representatives of public administration with in-depth information of the lifelong career system for public servants. The professional ethics subject received great emphasis, along with the sharing of other French and Hungarian practices and the promotion of interactive professional dialogues.

In his opening speech François Laquieze, Director of BFI highlighted the similar challenges French and Hungarian public administrations face. European public administrations are equally affected by today’s economic crisis and the only realistic answer for this problem is the coordination of European public administrations – emphasized Mr Laquieze.

In his welcome speech Max Brunner, Deputy Director of International Relations at ENA pointed out: whereas the reform of public administration and public service training in Hungary is currently in process, the French public administration has recently undergone a significant reform, to which ENA intends to align its trainings. Therefore, the development of tighter relations is important for both French and Hungarian parties.

Both ENA and NIPA plays a crucial role in the modernisation of national public administrations. In their introductory speeches representatives of both institutes stressed the continuous demand for knowledge among public servants parallel to the development of information-technology.

Hence, the main task of public service trainings is to ensure opportunity for the constant renewal of PA knowledge and to improve public servants’ ability of adapting to persistent change. Gergely Koltányi, Acting Director-General of NIPA added: the increasing number of tasks performed by public administration, the ever-rising demands by society towards pub-

lic service and the decreasing number of staff generate stricter timetables and more modern forms of learning, thus the majority of trainings are provided through distance education. Since its foundation in 1945, ENA has undergone similar changes, with the latest in 2009 – reminded Max Brunner. The School strongly emphasizes practical training and due to its recruitment system – which allows fresh graduates, public servants with several years of experience in public administration and experts with significant experience in the private sector to study at ENA after successful completion of its open competition – the classes are diverse and provide a great opportunity for exchange of practices. Common features of these trainings are provision of stabile and overall knowledge, acquirement of oral and written reasoning, overriding of theoretical training and learning through practice. Dr. Gábor Széplaki-Nagy, Deputy Spokesperson of the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, moderator of the conference and a former student of ENA added: the traineeship period was a defining experience, providing him not only with actual practices but with great responsibility as well.

One of the main topics of the conference was the lifelong career system for public servants, which is a central issue for public administration both in France and Hungary. Whereas in Hungary this is revealed in the Magyary Programme, in France the importance of the issue lies in its national aspect: François Chambon, director of the Regional Institute of Public Administration of Metz reminded, in France the state created the nation and not vice versa. Due to this historical fact and the large number of public servants (around 5,3 million people, namely 20% of the French population) the issues of the public administration in France are of utmost importance. François Chambon gave full details of the French public administration career system. Public servants’ preferment is mainly determined by their professional experience, yet in certain cases the promotion may be executed on a merit-basis, by the evaluation of superiors or by the individual decision of the institution, which increases employees’ motivation. Dr. István Temesi, Associate Professor, Faculty of Public Administration, National University of Public Services, added that the Zoltán Magyary Programme for the Development of Public Administration also guides the career system to a similar direction.

The primary goal of the Magyary Programme is to establish the “good

state” together with the judicial and local self-governmental reform launched in 2011. The organic part of the programme is to establish the new career system, in which the principle of career plays an important role together with the values of efficiency and performance. In the new career system the principle of quality must appear in the phase of selection and training. The National University of Public Services plays an important role in this matter, being the main institution for public administration training. The system would preserve the advantages of career systems and insures the possibility of flexible adaptation, namely the horizontal mobility, the possibility to switch within the career system. Furthermore the creation of real career possibilities also means the establishment of a fair and more efficient remuneration system, which – like the French example above - is not exclusively built on professional experience.

The lifelong career system for public servants is closely related to the regulation of professional ethics. Dr. Zoltán Hazafi, Head of Department of Public Service in the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice presented a detailed examination of professional ethics principles related to the law on public servants, which entered into force on 1 March 2012.

In contrast to the Hungarian uniform regulation, François Chambon highlighted that professional ethics are managed by the French public administration in line with each profession and therefore have no single legal source. Nevertheless, one may note the tendency towards a uniform regulation and some ministries have already established their own code of ethics. The gradual shift from prohibition to prevention is another result of the ongoing professional ethics changes in the French public administration. In accordance with this risk management plays an important role among public service trainings, including the preparation of public officials for the application of rules through practical situations.

Closing the event, speakers and participants considered the forum successful, instructive and last but not least worthy to continue. The conference organisers are looking forward to host colleagues and experts interested in the modernisation of public administration in the coming years as well, in the hope that personal and professional experience of the participants will be enriched through similar professional meetings.