Hungary as Jekyll and Hyde

Taking stock of the Hungarian EU Council presidency which ends today, the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung draws a parallel to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Domestically a fright, the country has done top-notch work for the EU, the paper comments: "Croatia's accession ... has progressed apace, as has the Roma initiative. The country can't be held up as a model for the 27 governments of the Union - it could have pushed ahead with a muscular European support and integration programme. Still, Budapest was able to put the precarious existence of the largest continental minority on the agenda for community-wide reflection. Leaving aside Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's heated outbreak in front of the European Parliament, Dr. Jekyll has distinguished himself with a first-rate EU presidency. ... The other face of the past half-year: with a two-thirds majority, Orbán's right-wing nationalist ruling party Fidesz has spared no time in making Hungary a bastion of its self-interest."

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