Thursday 28 June

It seems that our government has a glamorous new critic, this time the actor, Hugh Grant. Yesterday Grant made a speech to the European Parliament in which he criticized countries like the UK and Italy, where the government is controlled by powerful media magnates. But then he also said that in some countries, the opposite was the case, and that in countries such as Hungary, the media is controlled by the government.  It simply isn’t true that we control the media. If we did, why would we allow the publication of newspapers like Népszabadság? When I called my wife Anikó from Brussels, I told her about it. “Hugh Grant? He’s gorgeous!” she replied. “Why don’t you invite him to Hungary to discuss his criticisms of our laws in more detail? And invite him here for dinner afterwards!”

Monday 2 July

I had a meeting with the independent media council to discuss the Grant issue. The head of the committee Anna Mária Szalai said “Hugh Grant? He’s gorgeous. Why don’t we invite him to Hungary to discuss his criticism of our laws in more detail? Then I could take him out for dinner”. She giggled Why do all the women in my life fancy Hugh Grant? What’s he got that I don’t?  So I told Anna Mária that if she did not take these types of issues more seriously, perhaps she should go back to her old job as editor of a porn magazine. That shut her up I can tell you! But I must admit that Grant, who is actually two years older than me does look more youthful and sexy than I do. I must do something to sex up my image.

Tuesday 3 July

Another day, and another bunch of foreign critics to deal with. We received a letter from 50 members of the US Congress last week in which they expressed their concern at the rise of anti-Semitism in Hungary. Fortunately they blamed this on Jobbik, not on the government. Today I responded. If attacked, attack back. I laid blame for the anti-Semitism in Hungary squarely at the door of the US Congress! I mentioned that I had asked them to close down the server of one of the anti-Semitic web sites, which is actually located in the US, and the Americans have failed to do so. So clearly they are to blame for all the anti-Semitism in Hungary.

Thursday 5 July

I think Anna Mária Szalai is trying to get back into my good books, as there was another development today in the Klubradio saga. We are trying to get this radio station stopped, as it broadcasts opposition opinions. We already awarded their radio frequency to another station, earlier in the year, but they took us to court, and the court ruled that the company that won that tender should be disqualified. The assumption was that we would have to give the frequency back to Klub radio. Today Anna Mária and the press council stated that Klubradio’s original tender was invalid, as it had not been signed on every page. Excellent! We’ll see what happens. I sent Anna Mária a CD of “Love Actually” as a thank you. Hugh Grant acts as Prime Minister in this film, so I’m sure she will like it! I bought a copy for myself too, and am going to start to try to be more like Grant. Otherwise life is dull and busy. Passing numerous laws, and updated budgets. Getting ready for the IMF! How dull. “I should have gone into acting!” I complained to one of the other members in Parliament. “I’m sure that many Hungarians would agree with you Prime Minister!” he replied.

FreeHungary; July 11. 2012.