In many ways, the people causing trouble on the streets and the politicians bickering in parliament are both still struggling to come to terms with 50 years of communist rule. What people seem to forget is just how much has changed in the last 15 years since the Hungarian economy was opened up to competition, most of it for the good. The events of the last month or so have reminded us all how far Hungary has come, and how far it still has to go. Nothing is constant in Budapest, and that’s why we recommend it to all our clients – it’s always so full of surprises. Granted, those watching the TV news will have got a very different picture. Many of the major hotels experienced mass cancellations following the ransacking of the TV building on September 18 and the violence that marred the October 23 commemoration of the 1956 uprising. Living in Budapest, it was all a little ridiculous. Only people living in the town centre got the slightest whiff of teargas – it was obvious where the flashpoints were and which places to avoid.
Since the protests died down – and they now seem like a distant memory – discussion has turned to the wider political picture and how the country can claw itself out of its current political and economic crisis. In simple terms, the government has spent way beyond its means and its payback time. Rebuilding a country is a tough job, and the guys at the top still have a lot to learn. Many of the things we take for granted in the United Kingdom or the States are still filtering through society, and that includes the business, political and social environment. But it’s business as usual in the city’s great pubs, clubs, restaurants and spas.