2006年VOA标准英语-Hungarians to Vote For 'Euro' Government S

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
08 April 2006
 
Hungarians choose Sunday between the continuity of a center-left government, which says the country needs to embrace globalization, and a center-right opposition¹ that is promoting a more protective economic policy. Hungary's first parliamentary election since it joined the European Union will also determine who will oversee² the introduction of the euro as the nation's official currency.

--------------------------------------------------------

 
Hungarian Prime Minister and Hungarian Socialist³ Party's (MSZP) Prime Minister candidate, Ferenc Gyurcsany waves to his supporters at the socialists⁴' campaign closer rally in Budapest, Hungary 
  

It is not often that a news program and debate attracts six- of the eight-million increasingly skeptical⁵ Hungarian voters. But that is what happened this week as the Socialist prime minister, Ferenc Gyurcsany, met his center-right, charismatic opponent, Viktor Orban, for a debate.

Surveys show that the ruling Hungarian Socialist Party and its smaller liberal ally (the Alliance of Free Democrats) have a slight lead over the main rightist Fidesz party, ahead of the two-round vote Sunday and April 23.

If the Socialists and their allies win, it will be the first time since the end of communism that a government has been elected for a second consecutive⁶ term.

Whoever wins is expected to oversee the country's efforts to introduce the euro currency by 2010. So far, Hungary has not met the euro-requirements, as it has the largest budget deficit⁷ within the European Union, which it joined two years ago.

Spending by the Socialists on social programs, pensions and state employees has been partly blamed for the problem.

But Prime Minister Gyurcsany, a 44-year-old self-made millionaire, has said his ex-Communists turned Socialists are now a new left grouping, which supports globalization.

Mr. Gyurcsany explained to television viewers his goals for tackling the budget crisis. "We would like to be constructive⁸, and to create business opportunities for investors⁹," he said. "This is the best way to create jobs."

Fidesz has campaigned against what it calls "wild capitalism¹⁰."

Fidesz leader Viktor Orban threatens to renationalize key companies, such as the Budapest Airport, which was sold last year to the British Airports Authority for two-point-two-billion dollars. That worries foreign investors. The European Commission is also tackling what it sees as rising economic nationalism across the EU, including in Hungary.

During the television debate, Fidesz leader Orban, a 42-year-old former prime minister, said it was crucial to first of all support Hungarian businesses. "I don't think that Hungarian entrepreneurs would say 'no' to our program of decreasing their taxes, which we are planning for the next four years, and changing the level of the minimum wage," he said. "We also were successful in decreasing the unemployment when we were in government," adds Mr. Orban, who was prime minister between 1998 and 2002.

But on the streets of Budapest, people are not impressed with the rhetoric¹¹. Many say Hungarian politicians spend more time quarreling in parliament than dealing¹² with the every day concerns of ordinary citizens.

Disappointment with politics is the main reason 42-year-old house painter Zoltan Surman says he will not vote Sunday. "I already stopped voting 16 years ago, after the collapse¹³ of communism," he says. "I am living on the streets already for eight years because of a divorce, and I don't think anything will change, whoever I vote for," he said.

Amid a close election race, both leading parties have pledged to increase welfare spending, while, at the same time, offering tax cuts worth billions-of-dollars.

This has alarmed economists¹⁴, as Hungary must cut its budget deficit in half before it can join the countries using the euro currency.

Sunday is the first round of parliamentary voting, with a second round scheduled for April 23rd in districts where no party's candidate wins a majority.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

3 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

4 socialists   

社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment. 社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者。
• The Socialists junked dogma when they came to office in 1982. 社会党人1982年上台执政后，就把其政治信条弃之不顾。

5 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

6 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

7 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

8 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

9 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

10 capitalism   

n.资本主义

参考例句：

• The essence of his argument is that capitalism cannot succeed.他的论点的核心是资本主义不能成功。
• Capitalism began to develop in Russia in the 19th century.十九世纪资本主义在俄国开始发展。

11 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

12 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

13 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

14 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》