Hungary's international business daily

January 30, 2009, 10:07 CET

Hungary to defy European Commission call to scrap ban on GMO crops

Hungary will keep its ban on GMO (genetically modified organisms) maize imports and the planting of GMO seeds, Agriculture Ministry undersecretary Zoltán Gőgös announced.

The European Commission recently called on Hungary to entirely lift its GMO ban.

Last week the EU's executive arm backed proposals that would grant standard ten-year licences for the two GMO maize types. Hungary, one of the region's biggest grain producers, became the first country in eastern Europe to ban GMO crops and foods in 2005, when it outlawed the planting of MON 810 maize seeds, which are marketed by the US biotech company Monsanto.

The call on Hungary to reverse its stance on the issue comes both from lobby interests and the fact that the EU did not recognize scientific evidence presented by Hungary, Gőgös said.

The pro-GMO camp say that Hungary could make good use of the new technology to provide an answer to the worrying structural surpluses of the Hungarian cereal sector in view of future CAP reform.

15 Comments

I have to give it to you Hungary...you have done something right
here - keep Monsanto and their control crap away...

That comment from Fidez saying they may reevaluate being part of
the E.U. - maybe not so bad after all. ;)

Monsanto, white washed tomb is all that is - forget the flower
speeches and promises. I love technology, but they are an example
of how to use it to control in the guise of wanting to help. ;)

Peace

Right on. Completely agree with the first comment!

Good show!
I have always wondered what the long term effects of GMO's has on humankind. The US was the first country to exhibit an increase in obesity in its population and it appears that the time line coincides with the introduction of GMO's and the increase of antibiotics and growth hormones in its beef supply. I don't know if there is any relationship but I am always leary of additives to foods.

Btw, it is pretty serious if the bees go extinct (the population dropped 60% last year).

Albert Einstein once said (quote): "If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live."

@Arjan: Leading apiarist Dennis vanEngelsdorp explains the crisis affecting bees over the last few years and what it means to us all in "Where have the bees gone?" over on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GXlvP4kLHg

@三人成虎

Thanks!

It is believed that GM crops kill the bee that is actually polinating them...

Q1
"Scientists are thus far stumped as to what is causing the decline, ruling out parasites but leaning towards some kind of new toxin or chemical used in agriculture as being responsible. "Experts believe that the large-scale use of genetically modified plants in the US could be a factor," reports Germany's Spiegal Online. "

www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,473166,00.html

Q2
"The causes of colony-collapse disorder, in which bees disappear without trace from their hives, are debated as fiercely as the causes of climate change, with opinion dividing along very similar fault-lines determined often by vested interests.

Bee farmers and the European parliament blame arable farmers for killing or poisoning their bees with GM crops and careless use of insecticides. "

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5604401.ece

To all,including Vandorlo,hiding behind yet more aliases--the Bee's are dying due to a fungi growth internally,caused by the genetically modified crops (especially rape seed)whose altered structure stimulates the fungi when consumed-so much for cheaper,safer,easier food .
Stick to Organic--NO Organic farm Bee's have suffered. FACT

@Ricsi

This is not true. See this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7925397.stm

It would make a lot of sense if GM would be the killer. As the US massively imports bees from Hungary where GM is forbidden ;)

I believe GM inhibits the will to live. It disrupts the natural process.

Scientists who practise GM in this form have a short term vision: 'profit' or 'direct gain', they do not understand what has made the genes to exist in its complexity.

Essentially it is very easy to understand: the physical can't be the source for the physical. These scientists are like athiests, they only believe in what we can see / measure. They think Gene X has result Y and it is nothing more then that.

But how could this logically be? The source of life and the comple genetic coherence is more then the building blocks. It is more than we can possibly measure/see.

I don't believe in God, but I think it is more stupid to believe there is nothing more then we can see.

If you would mess with the genes, you actually create something that should be as it is and therefor inhibit the will to live.

Quite right Hungary. More EU countries should follow suit. Monsanto are criminals, they are attempting to genetically modify through their poisonous 'foods'. The book 'Seeds of Deception' and the documentary 'The World According To Monsanto' will tell you all you need to know about GM foods and these criminals.

Cheers,
Neil

If you look at the Americans today, they are so genetially modified, a 20 year of male or female usually looks more like a giant cancer-sore on a prehistoric dinosaur. They are beastily deformed, since all they get to eat is cheap, genetic garbage.


Watch the 1973 movie with Chuck Heston, "Soylent Green," and you realize what the Americans and others in Europe are doing to Mankind and the Planet. That is our food now, and the movie is set to take place in the year 2023, which is only 14 years from right now. We are a little early, I guess.


Beware, you have been warned.

Yes, Gyuszi. All us Americans look so ghastly and hideous in comparison to the Hungarians (ALL Hungarians) because ALL Americans eat the exact same diet. Please.

I wonder how bad I must look at 23.

Gross generalisations are gross. It's more mainstream in America to live green, eat organic, and be a goddamn hippie (thank you South Park) than it ever will be in Hungary.

Bad Yank,
You're one handsome individual.
Pretty as a picture.
This picture: http://tinyurl.com/6nt93r

of course, all Americans look alike...San Diegans and New Yorkers, no difference. Denver residents and Clevelanders - easily exchangeable.

Yeah, Godot. We are looking at one of Yankeedom's finest sub-speciman there, surely. Most assuredly. No mistake about it, either.

And Bad Yankee, you say that "It's more mainstream in America to live green, eat organic, and be a goddamn hippie."

Well, despite your catchy screen neme, it is obvious to me that YOU haven't been to the United States at all. If you had, and let's say spent a little time at a local Wal Mart, McDonald's, Burger King, or at the Old Country Buffet, you would not be telling your Hungarian readers such nonsense that Americans, "by and large," are eating organic foods (ha-ha-ha), live "green" (ha-ha-ha), and are hippies (phew...).

Of course, I sort of missed the Summer of Love in Frisco in 1967, only having gotten to that fine city by the bay (San Fran today) in May of 1970. So who knows, you could be right, Bro'.

But today, most Americans are like T-Rexes on two feet.

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