The example of how the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest has had its governance model recently transformed can help us understand the nature of the changes now underway that are reaching into the depths of the Hungarian societal structure.

Czech Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček refused to exclude Russia’s Rosatom from the tender until it was revealed that operatives from Russian military intelligence, the GRU, were behind the 2014 explosions at munitions warehouses in Vrbětice. Even now, however, the Russian candidate is not out of play entirely. How is that possible, and what does it mean for Czech security?

What might be done with PM Orbán’s political system after a potential opposition victory in 2022, considering that it is built mostly on informal power and privatized economic-financial resources? These questions are currently being debated mainly as issues of public law. Unfortunately, little is being said about the sociopolitical requirements for the democratic transition the opposition so desires.

The pandemic has taken its toll on the theatre sector of Hungary, resulting in many freelance artists delivering pizza, developing other skills to find a job, living on their savings, and desperately missing performing for a live audience. Independent theatres, however, had already been struggling to survive long before the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

On April 1, 2021, Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová appointed a new government headed by Eduard Heger. The new government was formed by the same four entities of the ruling coalition (two movements – OĽANO and We Are Family – and two parties – SaS and For People) that a year ago, after the last parliamentary elections, formed a government with Prime Minister Igor Matovič, OĽaNO’s leader. Compared to the previous arrangement, there have been just minimal personnel changes – a new Health Minister has taken office and a new Minister of Labor and Social Affairs will be appointed soon.

Hungary has become one of the woeful world leaders in COVID-19 mortality, with overwhelmed hospitals and figures skyrocketing to over 25 daily deaths per million people, compared to over five per million in the EU on average and less than three per million in the USA.