Letter of Dr. Royaards for the Smiling Knights on September 22

For some reason my internet is so slow that the website
and blog does not appear ( I am in the middle of the
country-side now). Would you please put the following
"post" on my blog?

September 22, a most difficult day.

"You can't win them all on each day".  After the glorious
feelings of yesterday, it was now the most difficult day
sofar. This is typically a region where unemployment is
high, money scarce and morale very low. And of course for
all the good (or better: bad) reasons. In spite of the
prevailing problems in the villages, the mayors of Tés,
Szápár, Csetény, Bakonynána, the deputy-mayor of
Nagyesztergár, the notary of Jásd and the deputy Notary
of Zirc will still try to do their best finding the
members on the basis of "one member for one thousand of
inhabitants".

The day has given me plenty of time to reflect about the
differences between Hungary now and Holland after the
second world war. Two important elements are crucial. In
Holland we had the Marshall help from abroad to give a
boost to investment, work and optimism. In Hungary, there
is no such great financial support from outside; the
European Union should be the motor, but the financial
impact may not be sufficient and in any case hardly
reaches the smaller towns and villages. Secondly, the
Dutch had a great confidence in the capabilities and
character of the Dutch government at the time; when
I hear mayors in general on this topic, very few
- if any - has any good opinion about the Hungarian
governments after the change in 1989. A sad story,
which must be changed to give new hope for a better life
in this otherwise beautiful country with intelligent
and kind people.

Albert Royaards