Tag: Hungary
As I mentioned in earlier posts (here and here), I was a counting officer on the April 3 parliamentary elections and referendum. It was hard to even start writing this post, I gave it a lot of thought in the past three weeks, because it’s almost impossible writing about this topic in a neutral tone, and that’s the only tone I should use here. I am not (never was, never intend to be) involved in party politics. I went to great lengths during this whole thing to emphasise that although I was delegated by “the opposition”, I am not affiliated…
In Hungary we get to vote on elections after the age of 18, and I’ve taken voting very seriously from the beginning. I can’t say I was very consistent with my party preference over the years, although I can definitely say that I was and still am consistent with the principles I follow. It’s the specificity of Hungarian party politics that certain parties changed colours. Of course I will not share how I voted, but here is a quick account of my memories of all the elections I’ve voted on. The first ever elections I’ve voted on was the 2002…
In Hungary the elections are carried out by Vote Counting Committees consisting of counting officers. On election day (parliamentary elections, municipal elections and referendums alike) in Hungary we vote in a very old-fashioned and not very sustainable way. The ballots are on paper with the alternatives (parties, representatives, questions) listed and you have to use a pen to mark your vote. This of course requires a good number of personnel not just to oversee the voting procedure, but to do all the paperwork it entails (registering the voters, counting the ballots, keeping a record of all the happenings of the…
Happy Sunday! This year is getting weirder and weirder, I guess and one can only hope we will come out of it into an improved and healed world in every way. In Hungary official communication suggests we are over the pandemic (COVID-19, there is no communication about the other one, i.e. racism), theaters are opening, beaches are crowded, people are out and about like nothing happened, while there are still several new cases every day. I can’t really decide whether I am overly precautious for not wanting to mingle with people for a while or they are irresponsible for doing…
Happy Sunday! I know there is so much going on in the world, but I hope you found something to be happy about this weekend! I sincerely hope these trying times will lead to positive results too. Meanwhile we all have to take our part to signal a racist world is not the world we want to live in. Here’s another great post with resources to help gain understanding and take action. Let’s do some reading. We Can’t Breathe: UN OHCHR Experts Issue Joint Statement and Call for Reparations Statement signed by all of the independent experts of the UN…
Happy Sunday! We are past the gloomiest day of the year (last Monday, according to general understanding, but no science at all), so we can expect things to be brighter from here on. I mean once Christmas passes, I am so over winter weather anyway, I can’t wait for it to be summer already… How about you? Here’s some weekend reading that unfortunately will not cheer you up, but I hope you’ll enjoy them nontheless. How Multilateral Cooperation Can Stop the Coronavirus Outbreak From Spreading This is yet another example when internationalism and international organizations are indeed helping humankind. One…
So, as the busiest week in international diplomacy is over now, here is what I thought of the general debate this year. The 72nd session of the UN General Assembly is well underway and of course keeps going on until next fall. Its most prominent week though with high level officials representing their countries on the GA floor is over now, with the closing of the general debate on Monday. The general debate must seem boring for many. I don’t think there is any one person who sits down and listens to almost 200 speeches in a row for days….
Happy Sunday! I hope this finds you safe and well. Here’s a bunch of ways to help hurricane victims and here are others to help Mexico after the earthquake. I hope you’ll consider to contribute if you can! Most of my sources had a short week, so there were less posts, but lots happened! Here’s what I recommend. This hurricane season shows why small islands pushed so hard for climate action And also why measurable action cannot be delayed any more. What would war with North Korea look like? Not good, not at all good. It wouldn’t be simple and…
So, I attended the Budapest Pride March this Saturday. This was my first Pride experience ever, although many people I respect take part each year, it just never occured to me before that I should be there too. I am just not the marcher or demonstrator type in general, but then there were many issues lately that converted many non-marchers, I guess. I know quite a few gay people, some I even call friends, so tolerance and acceptance had never been a question for me. Not even before I left my small hometown, where homosexuality is still a taboo, something…
Happy Sunday, all! I just love this time of the year around the summer solstice, when the days are the longest. I could spend all night outside reading and taking advantage of even the very last and faintest rays of daylight. I wish I could take the summer and do just that. Read books, sleep and enjoy the sun. But then there are stuff to attend to… Amidst an all American political circus show, many seem to be competing on the who gets blocked by Trump sooner on Twitter race. If only it could really lead to “Trumplessness”, I swear…
