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Hargitai, Miklós
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3 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Miklós Hargitai on natural catastrophes wiping out mankind
The massive earthquake off the coast of Japan and its immediate consequences have shown how vulnerable humans are to nature's forces, writes Miklós Hargitai in the left-liberal daily Népszabadság. Even now it is clear that one natural catastrophe or another will seal mankind's fate, Hargitai predicts: "The quickest way this could happen is as a result of global warming. Water levels will rise an average of two meters, meaning that at least a third of the most densely populated areas and 20 to 25 percent of the land cultivated today will be swallowed up by the sea. This will not fail to have apocalyptic consequences. The volcano eruption on Iceland last year ... showed that a single volcano can cause a change in the climate. ... Of course, humans themselves also bring a host of dangers. ... If we continue our unbridled consumerism and the profligate waste of natural resources, the earth will not be able to support so many people for long. We must get used to it: the current phase of peaceful growth is nothing more than a transitory state of emergency."
» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Natural disasters, » Natural disasters, » Global
Hungary ignores people's will on constitution
Hungary's right-wing conservative government under Viktor Orbán plans to use its two-thirds parliamentary majority to pass a new constitution in April. To this end it has sent a questionnaire to all Hungarian households. But that's a far cry from actually consulting the people, writes the liberal daily Népszabadság: "A quick glance at the twelve questions is enough to see that the government is not consulting the people for advice, but merely wants to have them bless its own concept for a constitution. The important questions are not being asked: Is working out a new constitution really the government's most pressing task? Is the opinion of the voters legally binding, or are they just being given an opportunity to blab away about it? Is the ruling Fidesz party really the only political force capable of working out a new constitution? [The majority of the opposition parties will not participate in drafting it.] Instead we're presented with twelve silly questions to which 90 percent of the answers are entirely predictable."
» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Hungary
Nuclear energy won't bring independence
The left liberal daily Népszabadság writes that the nuclear lobby hopes to see decommissioned nuclear power stations put back into operation as a result of the gas shortages. "In Slovakia it has already been decided that the fourth block of the Jaslovské Bohunice nuclear power plant is to be reopened, and in Bulgaria similar measures are in the pipeline. ... But we should bear in mind: We're talking about nuclear power plants that were closed down as a prerequisite for EU membership because they represented a high safety risk - and now a single week of gas shortages has sufficed to torpedo all the arguments and promises. ... As an energy source, nuclear energy is neither cheaper nor more reliable than gas, oil or wind. What's more, it's simply not true that it reduces dependency on other countries. Both Slovakia and Bulgaria purchase the heating rods for their nuclear power plants from Russia. Both countries return the used heating materials to their country of origin. This means that the degree of dependency is by no means lower than with gas."
» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Environmental Policy, » Energy, » Slovakia, » Europe, » Bulgaria
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