It’s been a blistering hot week in Budapest. But for one particular person in town it was even hotter. After months and months of negative publicity, on Tuesday Finance Minister Péter Oszkó finally gave the sack to Miklós Tátrai (left), the CEO of Magyar Nemzeti Vagyonkezelő Zrt, the state asset manager and privatization agency that last year was created out of the former ÁPV Zrt and National Land Fund. And unlike most such sackings in Hungary, this one was gloves-off: Tátrai was fired “for cause,” meaning he won’t collect the millions of forints in severance payments most such government bigs get when they screw up so bad they have to go. Oh, happy day.
Pouring over the endless accusations that have been leveled at Tátrai and the system he’s overseen, it sort of incredible that the government let it go one this long. Even if half of what has been alleged is true, the 30-something Tátrai should spend the next 30 years breaking big rocks into little rocks. By the end, everyone from the Finance Ministry to the Customs Office to the Prime Minister’s office itself were investigating the mess. Appalling.
While the turfing out of Tátrai might be seen as a sign that clean and effective management of Hungary’s state assets is around the corner, it would probably pay to wait and see. As a replacement for Tátrai Oszkó named Miklós Kamarás, whose experience includes running the ÁPV and state railway MÁV Zrt, which seems like a major case of “more of the same, please.” Either way, for sure there is no reason to turn the heat down even a notch.
If this Tatrai fellow would have done what he did in the People’s Republic of China or in Saudi Arabia, he would be publicly executed. And swiftly.
But of course in Operettaland Hungaria, the ‘penalty’ he is facing is that he is to be forfeiting tens of millions of forints in separation bonuses.
But is he, really?
Is not this a job for the Magyar Gárda, or are they only interested in ethnic, cultural and political minorities who are perceived as wrecking the Hungarian state?
Very curious, suppose Mr Tátrai has merely been carrying on with the greatly respected Hungarian tradition of the elite ripping off the state and the Hungarian people?
Meanwhile the self annointed and other patriots are more concerned with harassing minorities and blaming them for Hungary’s woes……who is feeling patriotic then?
Whereas this article has absolutely nothing to do with the Magyar Gárda in any form, shape or fashion, but since you had already brought up the subject, Andrew….
If Magyar Gárda gets into Parliament, which is likely to happen as early as next spring, they will apparently have to face and deal with the country’s three major perceived enemies, listed here in no particular order:
GYPSIES/ROMAS
JEWS/ISRAELITES
FOREIGNERS
Mind you, I am not endorsing anything or anybody here, but from what I have gathered about them in the media, the Gárda would want to deal with these ‘trouble groups,’ sooner or later. Which is probably why they are getting so much flak these days from all directions.
Of course, this is nothing new in today’s Europe, as the political spectrum is distinctly moving to the right from the former ultra-liberal, left-wing positions.
What goes around, comes around, in other words. Time will tell which side will prevail.
You confirm what I said, more worried about perceived enemies than actual Hungarians in positions of trust ripping off Hungarian people and state…..very patriotic?
Hungarians would actually prefer Hungary to be morally and financially corrupt, a legacy for the world and Hungarians’ future? Right….
No, actually, sweeping out/locking up the self-righteous money-grubbing Socialist-SZDSZ big wigs and their cronies (like Tátrai) is the number one item on Jobbik’s to-do list.
Hungarian politics is full of bullshit, just like the stables of Augeas. Still looking for a Heracles to do a thorough cleaning. The Parliament is right next to the Danube, let’s wash out the manure and start over.
“Sweeping out/locking up the self-righteous money-grubbing Socialist-SZDSZ big wigs and their cronies (like Tátrai) is the number one item on Jobbik’s to-do list.”
Exactly, sheesh. Once the wised-up and pissed-off Hungarians get rid of these assorted non-Hungarian elements, the counry will have no way to go but up in the world. Remember also, there are many pretty boys and ugly cows in high office in Hungary. They have Hungarian names and sound very much Hungarian — they just spend their time trying to do Hungary and its people in.
The b.s. will only stop with Jobbik or something like them — not with the many times discredited Fidesz. That would be no real change at all.
Apologies for my naivety, but I assumed everyone was in on it, Fidesz, MSZP, Jobbik, bureaucracy, business, individual Hungarians of no political bent etc.
Andrew, Jobbik is “in” — ON WHAT EXACTLY? Do you even know?
Unbelievable. I left Hungary 2 years back after 5 years of
investment, training & dev. of local workforce. I left precisely
because of ridiculous insular thinking. Hungarians are dreaming if
they think theyre going in any direction other than down – without
any outside cleansing, Hungarians will devour their own
opportunities and spiral in misery. The irony is the overall similarity
between the true blue-blood Hungarian society and the stunted
Roma communities they so love to hate.
My business is now based way north of the Hungarian farce – in an
open-minded, multi-lingual economy where Jobbik-style thoughts
are simply laughable (and somewhat embarrassing).
Domanis, don’t strain so hard to be simple minded, Friend. Anyhow, you had recently left Hungary with your entire “operations,” I understand. Good luck — and GOOD RIDDANCE!!!
Come next elections in Hunagry, a lot more of the foreign money-suckling pariahs hauling from God only knows where will be following in your footsteps. Leave — and do so en masse, hopefully. Any country is better off without foreign leeches sucking it dry, don’t you even get that part, Mr. Western Biznicman?
As to “Jobbik style thoughts,” you certainly cannot know anything about Europe of 2009, Buddy, because if you did, you would also know that despite the constant Israeli-American pressure, the electorates all over are favoring center-right and far-right national agenda parties. And not the ultra-left, ultra-liberal scumbags in bed with the W3estern eco-pariahs. Together, they managed to almost destroy the economic base of the nation.
So, thank you for leaving us voluntarily, and please — don’t come back soon. :~)
So what was this guy Tatrai, an Israeli, an American a Jew or a Catholic, or a relative of the House of Saud?
@Max Headroom: Just a typical member of Hungary’s thieving political class, a tribe that does not recognize such petty distinctions as religion and ethnicity.
It seems that there are more people here in Realdeal that recognize these distinctions than the actual political class that make off with the bounty.