Good and Bad News from Hungary

Neil Clark writes:

Two pieces of good news from Hungary:

1. The extremist neoliberal SZDSZ party (who have less than 2% popular support, but 100% support from foreign capital) is to leave the governing coalition at the end of the month. As RSM Williams would have said; 'Oh dear, how sad, never mind.'

2. The opposition has collected the requisite number of signatures to trigger a referendum on the government's shocking proposals to privatise health care. Another humiliatating defeat for beleagured Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, is on the way, unless he drops the plans.

It is just a shame about Arriva (generous benfactor of the local community here though Sir Tom Cowie is), which has bought eighty per cent of Hungary's Interbus Invest, as part of the privatisation of the regional bus sector. To quote Neil again:

Hungary had one of the best integrated, publicly owned public transport systems in the world, as anyone who has spent any time in the country would testify. It’s tragic to see them following the British example and privatise it.