Feelings escalated quickly

The week, just as usually, started slowly and quietly. Waters stirred by last week’s news on the changes applying to concessions regulating tobacco stores have started becoming still. This almost idyllic image was shaken by the National Economic Minister Mihály Varga when he talked about the “highly likely” introduction of advertisement taxes.

L. Simon László, a lawmaker MP of governing party Fidesz, planted a bomb when talked about his submission of the advertisement tax bill to the government. The bomb went off soon and hit big. Media companies almost immediately gathered together in objection to the law proposal, threatening with blank front pages by newspapers and black screens on air by television channels.

As a reaction, Fidesz MPs soon gathered together to defend the proposal. First, the creator, Simon said that the media’s reaction is “nonsense” and insignificant as “no one takes it seriously”. He was brave to declare his opinion so openly. Lázár, though backed Simon’s opinion, was trying to polish the bill by saying that the revenue made by the tax would go on the development and modernization of schools. He proposed that the bill would not be discussed by the end of this summer and that the media is trying to put pressure on the government. Fidesz parliamentary leader Antal Rogán agreed with Lázár, that media is trying to pressurize the government and “blackmail politicians”, but he ensured the public that Lázár was wrong and the parliament will discuss and accept the bill early next week and would definitely accept it with minor alterations.

The happenings opened many doors for the opposing parties to act upon, but nothing really happened as left-wing parties stayed somewhat silent. Apparently MSzP is too busy with finding a new leader, Együtt PM leader Gordon Bajnai is occupied with the Bilderberg meeting and Democratic Coalition leader Ferenc Gyurcsány has not been seen since he acted up as a temporary electric cab driver on the day of EP elections, except his habitual critical Facebook comments on the actual happenings. Media’s protest turned out to be milder than expected as only Metropol did come out with a blank front page, all the other papers joining the protest had the third page blank, or precisely all the blank pages had a sentence in great letters saying “We object against the introduction of advertisement tax”.

Meanwhile the media was on fire some research have been published showing that, in line with the worldwide trends, Hungarians are fat, do not sleep enough and are medium happy. The past couple of years in crisis have been forcing people to spend less on food and this inevitably results in buying the wrong food. Not eating appropriately has put Hungary among the leading countries of obesity. A study on sleeping habits has revealed that we sleep less in time and also in quality. Not only that we are obese and do not sleep enough, quite similarly to other countries, we are medium happy with our lives.

Our medium happiness and media roar stole our attention from the impressive Hungarian results whose values should not be diminished. Puli Space Technologies are having a great chance to reach the Moon and make observations there. Technology seems to be a good area for Hungarians to shine as Vemoco is introducing a new system to be installed in cars in order to make transportation safer and more efficient.

Hungarians are over a busy week and face a three-day-long weekend. Looking back to this week, we earned it and are definitely in the need of it.