On Saturday afternoon, March 9th, our audience at the Museum enjoyed a fascinating and well-prepared presentation on the European Union. Dr. Zsolt Hetesy joined us from the Hungarian Embassy in Washington, DC.
Dr. Hetesy is an extremely knowledgeable diplomat and he described in detail the complexities of the EU, its configuration, its history, and its administrative powers. The relationship among and between member nations and the EU can be knotty at times. Dr. Hetesy also touched on the advantages of EU membership to Hungary, and the challenges this tiny nation in Central Europe faces when it does not agree with EU mandated policy, especially as it relates to Hungary’s borders and immigration policy.
He showed the results of research and polling of the electorate within member nations by the Pew Research group. The topics ranged from how positively or negatively the electorate views their membership in the EU, its handling of finances, and the EU’s position related to migration. He discussed the upcoming EU Parliamentary elections, and the main issues and tensions that characterize this particular election. The Q and A portion of the program was also interesting, and members of an engaged audience posed very good questions; one such question dealt with the Hungarian Embassy’s role in combating negative press in the American media.
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