Letters to the editor

Investigative committee expert draws fire for his opinion As a former journalist and academician, I find Sebestyén Gorka?s language in his articles on Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy as excessively "hot" and starkly absolutist. No...


Investigative committee expert draws fire for his opinion


As a former journalist and academician, I find Sebestyén Gorka?s language in his articles on Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy as excessively "hot" and starkly absolutist.


No one writes like this unless you are either headline hunting or have a political agenda. To describe the infinite range of possibilities as "lying or he is the most unique deep cover agent the secret police ever used" is not the language of either an "expert" or consultant.


To see the world as either black or white is to miss all of the nuances of gray. While I am no expert on the subject at hand, I do have 25 years experience with the language of the expert/consultant which leave me pondering not about Dr Medgyessy, but about Gorka, as my personal response to the headline: Questions to ask yourself (opinion, issue 37, September 12 - 18).


Unless Gorka can produce a "smoking gun," then it is time to move on and let the Prime Minister govern, which he seems to be doing admirably, without these weekly distractions.


I, for one, am proud to think of and speak of Dr Peter Medgyessy, as "my Prime Minister!"


John Warren Gotsch


Budapest





I?m absolutely appalled by the Gorka article Questions to ask yourself .


Sentences like ..."How can it be that Hungary is the only civilized nation in the modern age that has a head of Government who has admitted to being a voluntary pillar of the oppressive mechanisms of a previous dictatorship?"


Obviously Gorka does not consider Russia (Putin) or the US (Bush Senior) among "civilized nations" since their heads were pillars of "oppressive mechanisms".


I guess the KGB and our own CIA certainly satisfy those definitions.


I especially like his poetic question... "Would this have been allowed in Germany after the Second World War?" Allowed by whom?


Apparently Gorka?s cry for democracy stops here and suddenly he prefers a higher power... maybe a dictatorship?


Gorka?s questionable credentials, constant self-promotion don?t fit well with The Budapest Sun style... I just hope you did not pay for him for the article.


Your readers deserve a detailed note that this Gorka?s personal opinion and the article does not express the editors views. Or, does it?


George Lazar


Oakland, California





l Editor?s note: We do not pay anything for opinion pieces. Sebestyén L v Gorka was not paid for his.


The piece, Questions to ask yourself, was carried in our regular opinion slot, page four, a page that, as always, was clearly marked "opinion and analysis" at the top.


This page, which faces page four, always carries the disclaimer that "Views expressed in letters and opinion pieces do not necessarily represent those of this newspaper."


As for Gorka?s "questionable credentials", it is a matter of public record that he worked in the Ministry of Defense for two Hungarian Governments and was called as an expert witness by the committee investigating Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy.





Creating a positive list


I have been reading your paper, throughout all my eight years in Budapest and, in general, I have been pleased with it. I have also read many of the Letters to editor and agreed more or less with the problems of they do not want to understand, the Police, the Váci útca girls and bad service, etc.


I especially enjoyed issue 37?s Roy Dexter letter (Help yourself). A friend of mine gave me the idea some years ago to create a "positive list" (to balance the American Embassy?s negative list, about where not to go.)


We can all tell horror stories of life in Budapest (and most people do), but I am also sure that everyone can tell a positive story. (If not, they should go somewhere else).


I would be very happy to get to know about shops, restaurants, etc that offer a good service/kind help. The places being mentioned in a list like this would naturally benefit from it, receiving a kind of free advertising.


Hopefully the ones not mentioned, would have to try a little harder and eventually get on it as well.


Now follows a story that took place back in the springtime, as my friend was visiting: In need of a new pair of goggles, he and I went to Color Sport, a small shop on WestEnd?s top floor. Their English was limited, but with the help of my (still) poor Hungarian and their effort, we found what we needed.


After having tested the goggles once, it was clear that they were useless, foggy and painful to wear.


Having stayed in Budapest for many years, I was certain, that there would be absolutely no reason to go back to the store to complain. They would probably never admit the customer any rights. The usual story, "not my fault"... "but it has been used" etc.


But my friend went back. And, surprisingly, at first they tried to offer him another pair, then something else, and at last it was quite alright to give him the money back!


I did not believe what was happening. For the first time, I was experiencing service in this city. In Denmark, where I come from, it is a normal thing, being able to complain and be taken seriously.


Now, every time I need anything, and there is the slightest chance that Color Sport sells it....where do I go?


I would appreciate more positive letters, then The Budapest Sun could create a (hopefully) long list of customer friendly places for it?s readers.


Klaus Jespersen


Budapest





Battle of wills


I wonder if other consumers in Hungary find the purchase of garden equipment a nightmare task.


First I buy the appliance of a major brand name with a one-to-three year guarantee. I then take it home where it breaks down within the week.


Returning to the Western-owned retailer, I am told it is more than three days since purchase and now I should play the "run around Budapest" part of the game to find the service center and hope it is open.


All in all this consumes a great deal of time and patience. While the appliance (ie grasscutter) is being repaired, I hope our neighbor?s lawnmower is out of the service game and workable.


I have over the years spent many an hour in major hyper-markets debating the legality of the three-day return period and finally understand the legal reasons why the Hungarian consumer plays the "go back to service and stay until you throw a double six"(or get so fed up you take the chance to buy a second appliance) game.


Hungary, as far as I know, has fulfilled all EEC directives on consumer protection. Credit cards worldwide do not carry "except for Hungary" on them. This being the case it is advisable to pay for purchases with credit cards and instead of playing the in-store games simply


1) Return the defective goods.


2) Insist on a receipt to prove they have been returned.


3) Phone your credit company prior to settlement, ask for their chargeback department and cancel the transaction.


I think it is time major stores treated Hungarians to their rights and displayed them in store.


At present, if goods are defective the stores need never know as customers return to the manufacturer?s service centers.


The store continues to sell rubbish and the brand name of the product is avoided by all. Does this build a market share?


Only one service center manager was honest and told me the top of the range lawnmower was not suitable for Hungarian gardens and I would be better to dump it and buy a decent one.


As in the West when one store implements a no quibble guarantee all will follow. The sad truth is that the stores involved are all Western and know better than to run a two-tier system. I believe it allows manufacturers to dump faulty merchandise here in Hungary and get rid of it.


In the long term this policy will erode their market share.


The American/Swedish products seem to have a better handle on the market regarding quality and their share will grow as others become the Trabant of the garden tools marketplace.


Nick Shovlin


Budapest





Calm down


I see that Beth Thornton is relentlessly pursuing her campaign to discredit this country and dissuade tourists and investors to visit. Why is The Budapest Sun sponsoring this campaign?


Did Beth spend her life alone in a cave in the States? Why else is she in a state of perpetual shock at city life?


Beth?s long term campaign theme is "that Budapest is a dangerous crime ridden anarchy".


This week she supports this theme, with the inane observation that "...door locks, security alarms and steering wheel locks are part of normal life here".


UN statistics and the personal experience of nine years living here clearly show that Hungary is a very safe country to visit, live and work.


Please Beth, calm down, you are quite safe here in Budapest, certainly more safe here than your home country, where the daily body count for people murdered by a firearm is 40.


Peter Frost


Budapest





New trust


As an addendum to the Foreign meetings article of issue 37, September 12-18, I would like to point out that during Foreign Minister László Kovács? visit to Romania, both parties announced that the relationship between Hungary and Romania has entered a new stage of trust and friendship.


As Romania prepares for becoming a NATO member this November, both parties announced they are discussing a new strategic partnership that will complement increased trading.


This announcement represents an important shift in Romanian-Hungarian relationship which has been rather tense at political levels during the ?90s. With it will come discussions about Gojdu Foundation restitution to Romania, Parliamentary representation for the Romanian minority in Hungary and the opening of a new Hungarian Consulate in Miercurea-Ciuc.


Florin Rapan


Canada





Thanks Lucy


Lucy Mallows? review of the Villa Uhu dining experience was so positive we decided to go and enjoy for our selves.


Our experience was exactly as she so eloquently described it and I would like to pass on sincere thanks for the tip (and the directions).


Please ask her not to tell anybody else so that it can remain one of Budapest?s best kept secrets for a while longer. Thank you , Lucy.


Peter Harding


Budapest

26.09.2002