Impressie van diplomaten uit andere EU-lidstaten die meelopen met Hongaren tijdens voorzitterschap (en)

Struggling a bit with the Hungarian language, they like Hungarian food, the baths and the architecture of Budapest. Coming from nine different EU countries, several experts with various diplomatic backgrounds, assist the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the six months of the Presidency.

Following EU presidency traditions, the several hundred strong Hungarian Presidency team is further strengthened by experts from other EU member states. They come from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Slovakia and the United Kingdom. We asked some of them about their current work, motivation and impressions.

“I thought it would be an exceptional challenge to be a bit of a Hungarian, by working with Hungarians in Budapest”, Dutch diplomat Achraf Bouali explains why he joined the Presidency team. “I am extremely happy that I made this choice. It is not always easy, but the openness I met here and the total inclusion in the department I work for makes it a wonderful experience”, he says.

The Hague, Moscow, Kabul, Budapest

Before coming to Budapest in November 2010, Achraf had been working for the Dutch foreign ministry’s Middle East desk, in The Hague. His later postings included the embassies of the Netherlands in Moscow and Kabul, respectively. In the Hungarian foreign ministry, he has been assisting in various human rights issues, including keeping contact with the new EU external action service (EEAS), and the preparations for the Human Rights Council in Geneva. “I also hope to continue working on the Genocide Prevention Centre which is a Hungarian initiative and whose centre was recently established in Budapest”, he adds.

Achraf admits Hungarian “is a very difficult language”. Nevertheless, he is taking language classes at least two to three times a week.

Ramona Ghierga, seconded by the Romanian foreign ministry, has also been making efforts to learn some Hungarian which she says is important, not least out of respect for her host country.

Western Balkans and fisherman’s soup

She believes her previous experience in the Western Balkans fits well together with her current job at the Hungarian ministry’s department responsible for this region. Ramona thinks in this half year, she can gain useful insights into the developments in the field of enlargement. “This policy field plays a particularly important role now, as both Croatia’s EU accession and the European perspective for Western Balkan countries such as Serbia, are among the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency”, she adds.

Ramona loves Hungarian fisherman’s soup (halászlé), and local cuisine in general which, she adds, is very similar to that of her home region Banat. Ramona reckons Budapest offers lots of sporting opportunities. “With spring approaching, I will go jogging, and will also fetch my bicycle from Timisoara”, she says. The Romanian diplomat also plans to explore the Hungarian countryside and especially the Tokaj wine region on the coming weekends.

Turkish baths and art nouveau

Mei Larm of the United Kingdom is also ambitious about planned leisure activities. “I intend to explore some of the countless thermal springs that define Budapest, once spring arrives”, she says. “I have yet to discover Budapest's architecture in baths, dating back to the period of Turkish rule, and also the architectural treasures of the art nouveau and the modern era”, Mei adds.

Before joining the Presidency team as linguistic and digital engagement advisor, working mostly on the eu2011.hu website, she had been employed in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in London. She has worked in the Digital Diplomacy Group where, among other things, she conducted training courses to webmasters and web editors. Mei also dealt with United Nations, and conflict prevention issues, as well as the preparations for the Olympics 2012.

The Danube and bottles

“Budapest has not disappointed me. When I first arrived, it struck me as better than I expected - and I had expected much”, the British diplomat says. “I like to stroll along the banks of the Danube and watch the reflection of the rows of houses on the Buda side in the shimmering water”, she adds. Mei dislikes, however, the lack of transport signs indicating which station one arrived at on metro concourses and also, “that you cannot buy one litre bottles of that Irish cream liqueur”.

“My disappointments include Hungarians’ limited knowledge of the English premier league and the difficulty of finding a good Indian curry”, another British secondee, Neil Patrick adds jokingly. “I also came because I thought Budapest would be a beautiful city and a great place to bring my family to live - and I have not been disappointed”, he says. “I enjoy the architecture, the food, the cultural events and the Normafa hills”, he adds.

Cheers, tomatoes and potatoes

Neil currently works in the Hungarian foreign ministry’s Department for International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, providing advice on a broad range of issues such as the future of EU development policy and its future financing. Before coming to Budapest, he was working in the UK Department for International Development. His previous experience includes working for the UK Treasury, the UK embassy in Dublin, as well as the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

“My Hungarian language skills are limited to say the least”, however, “I do a good egészségedre (cheers)”, he says.

Peter Lescouhier is even able to buy “paradicsom” (tomato) and “burgonya” (potato) at the markets of Budapest. The Belgian diplomat believes the Hungarian capital “with its splendid buildings and panoramas, good restaurants and relaxing spas, is a very agreeable town to live in”.

Multiple pleasures in the ministry

As liaison diplomat for the trio presidency of Spain, Belgium and Hungary, he has been working in the foreign ministry in Budapest since back in October 2009. Peter’s main task is to facilitate the exchange of information between the Belgian and Hungarian Council presidencies. In the last nine years, he has been dealing with a wide range of EU related dossiers, such as environment, chemicals, fisheries, enlargement and relations with Latin America, Russia and China. Prior to this, he had also been posted in Beijing, Manila and Pristina.

“Being part of the team that is responsible for making the Council Presidency a success is challenging, but gives also immense pleasure and satisfaction”. Peter says and adds, “by being closely involved in three consecutive Council Presidencies, for me this pleasure is multiplied by three”.

Presidency inside

“It is a great experience to witness the Hungarian EU Presidency from the inside”, underlines Matthias Gruber, from the German foreign office. “I consider working in a Hungarian speaking environment a particular personal challenge, even though I am surrounded with colleagues with excellent language skills, most of them speaking German as well”, the diplomat says.

In the Hungarian foreign ministry, his tasks include the organisation of German delegation visits, moreover, he occasionally assists EU affairs Minister of State Eniko Gyori, in various meetings. Formerly, Matthias was serving as cultural and educational officer of the German embassy in Hungary, where, among other things, he was responsible for the cooperation with the Goethe Institute and the Andrássy University, the German speaking university of Budapest.

A second home

Matthias, married to a Hungarian wife, has been living in Budapest for almost six years. “I am a big fan of Budapest. It has become my second home to which I strongly adhere”, he says. “I like to visit other parts of the country too, to enjoy with my family the Hungarian hospitality and the beauty of the nature”, he adds. Besides the most popular tourist destinations, Matthias’s favourites include the Zemplén mountains, the Orség National Park and the historical downtown of Gyula.