Kounalakis, who was US ambassador from January 2010 to the summer of 2013, writes that when former US president Bill Clinton asked her about Orbán, she replied: “Some people consider him a madman, But they are not right. He can be a very charming and rational man. But he has different ideas about democracy, freedom and free markets,” she said, “and sees himself as the only man who can defend the Hungarian people from harmful outside influence”.

She added that in a broader sense Hungary was a reliable partner on such matters as energy security, Eastern Partnership and Afghanistan.

However, the extradition of Azeri axe murderer Ramil Safarov in 2012 thoroughly undermined her belief that Hungarians were reliable, she said, adding that Péter Szijjártó was responsible for this move while Foreign Minister János Martonyi was unaware of it.

Recalling the government’s celebration of the new constitution on January 2, 2012 at the Opera House, Kounalakis said the US State Department had recommended that she wriggle out of the invitation by going to Vienna. But she thought she should not be afraid of not going to the Opera House. “I stayed home and watched the broadcast in my slippers. This was the low point of my activity as an ambassador”.

Source: Hungary Around the Clock

This news item is one of many published daily by HATC, a premier subscription news service which distributes English-language info about Hungary via email or fax. For a free trial of HATC visit www.hatc.hu and click on 'Free Trial Subscription’.

Related article:

Video: Former U.S. Ambassador To Hungary Launches Book About Her Experiences