The West has left the East in the lurch

The business paper Figelõ reflects on the remarks of the leader of the opposition in Hungary Viktor Orbán, who has accused Western Europe of deserting Central and Eastern Europe in the crisis: "Orbán's concern is justified. This economic protectionism is indeed detrimental and a bad approach to dealing with the crisis, not to mention the fact that it makes little sense in a globalised economy. If the 'French' carmakers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia do return to France as President Nicolas Sarkozy has populistically demanded, who would buy these expensive cars? … It would be wrong to seek a solution to the crisis in economic nationalism and pitching countries against each other. What is required now is a pan-European approach."

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