[googlemap lat="47.040182144806664" lng="19.16015625" width="450px" height="150px" zoom="4" type="G_NORMAL_MAP"]Budapest[/googlemap]I have often wondered why this is so little about things happening in Eastern Europe in the Norwegian media.

This weekend the Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany announced that he will step down, as his government’s popularity plummets amid the global financial crisis. Hungary is badly hit by the global credit crisis, and is perhaps far worse off then Iceland. But there I must admit that I don’t really know. I often hear that if a country can go bankrupt, Hungary has already done so … In Mindszent the village that I usually visit, the official unemployment rate is about 40 %. And the Hungarian currency, Forint (HUF), recently hit it’s all time low: 1 NOK was close to 35 HUF and 1 € is 300 HUF.

Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said that he was leaving office in the following way:

“I hear that I am the obstacle to the co-operation required for changes, for a stable governing majority and the responsible behaviour of the opposition,” he was quoted as saying on Saturday by Reuters news agency.

“I hope it is this way, that it is only me that is the obstacle, because if so, then I am eliminating this obstacle now.

“I propose that we form a new government under a new prime minister.”

Mr Gyurcsany did not name any possible successor. And for a good reason, there are not many capable of leading Hungary out of their current situation. From Fidesz I have not heard any thing else then tax reduction, but then again, I live in Norway and not Hungary. One thing is sure, Hungary is up for a turbulent period with quite a few possible outcomes.

Well, there has been nothing about this news in Norway so far, but perhaps when the official announcement comes today from the Parliament, then also Norwegian media wake up?