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„It will be a disaster for agriculture. Let us take Holland or Italy, farmers are paid for not to
produce, because there is redundancy. And they say that it is cheaper to produce in Holland
than in Hungary. So there will be an enormous crisis.” [far East group]
There was a generation difference in the extent respondents were worried about joining EU.
The middle or older generation were much more worried, than the younger one. Even young
people in the far East group were more optimistic, than the family group or the politically
active group. This is partly rational, partly emotional.
„There has so many bad things happened to the people that the majority can see no promising
perspectives.”
„People above 40 or the pensioners won’t find their place even in the EU. „[family group]
A similar idea is that there are great expectations which are bound to fail.
„I don’t think it will be harder to live in the EU, but there will be no significant difference and
this will make many people disappointed”. [repatriated]
Finally, many respondents consider the prospect of losing some of Hungary’s sovereignty
and/or national character. However, this outcome is regarded with resignation.
„We have to give up some of our national sovereignty in the traditional sense, but if we look
around in the world, we see that the idea and practice of traditional national sovereignty is
past” [journalist group]
5.2. Positives of joining EU
Before turning to the positive outcomes expected from joining EU, let us quote an interesting
remark concerning the above block of negatives: a perspective.
„Basically, I think we are ungrateful, because if we had been discussing these very same
issues 8 years ago, we would have found a great many indisputable advantage if joining EU.”
There are two, somewhat related bunch of arguments in favor of joining EU: one is freedom
of traveling, the other is various economical advantages. It is very interesting, however, that
even these relatively undisputed advantages are formulated with some reservation:
respondents are quick to add a ‘but’ to the positive outcome.
Supporting projects:
„What I see as an advantage of EU is that many new resources open up for Hungarian
economy helping modernization. Although it is not always fair, because e.g. in PHARE you
can get support, but with the condition that you have to invite and pay a Western expert for
the project, so they get back 70-80% of the money. Yet, EU perhaps is the best of many bad
things”. [students group]
The Portugal example:
„I know Portugal from the time when joining EU was out of question It was a beautiful
country, but enormously poor. And then, when they joined, really fantastic amounts of money
poured in, they built roads, reconstructed everything. It was fantastic. And people became
much happier. The problems begin, however, that after a while these amounts must be paid
back slowly. Yet I hope we can join, we have no other choice.” [family group]
A related issue is management culture:
„They bring us a new corporate culture, work ethics. A Western multi expects you to work 12-
14 hours a day and be maximally loyal.”
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