The minister of the environment has not as yet been put in charge of running any football clubs (though it is all the rage these days�). which shows that the ministry is not of much importance compared to the other ones. He is not famous for his expertise or hard work either, in fact the main thing he does do is try to deny what wicked journalists have written about him.

It is a hard task with articles like this:

"He got half of what he wanted: the top cat at the ministry has to put up with an Audi 6 instead of an Audi 8 despite his petition to the Prime Minister's Office. He requred the car besides the Mercedes minibus in his personal use worth 30 million Ft. Pepo applied for a flat worth of 75 million and it was also refused by Prime Minister Viktor Orban. So the minister with the smallholder background has to put up with the renovated flat of his predecessor. Pepo's fortune depends on the patience of the prime minister�(HVG)"

He has had only one discussion with environmental NGOs so far - we know that he is very busy. He does not even have time for negotiations with the Parliamentiary Committees. His"comrades"leave one by one - he has the highest consumption of state secretaries.

Packaging industry attacks the environment

Since we've been on talking terms with the EU, the most serious criticisms made of Hungary during the negotiations are related to the environment. Pal Pepo came up with the best course of action: he closed the Environment Ministry's Department for EU Integration . This action was done according to the best traditions of cadre policy: if the head of department cannot be fired, the position has to be closed. Later many more lost their positions or passed on to the stronger ministry of the second governmental party. The fired or relegated officers usually winning the labour rights lawsuits which they bring

One can ask an officer of Ministry of Environment any time; they always answer that the law on waste will be ready by fall. I am a bit worried that as winter comes sneaking in we will suddenly realize that the law has been made before we could have a look! Then we can start to write petitons again which they keep refusing�.

We prepared a catapult and threw pieces of throw-away packaging at the Ministry building. We were armed to the teeth with waste. We informed representatives of all TV channels that companies interested in packaging won over the Ministry the very same way and they still rule legislation and decision making processes by means of lobbying. (Of course the process started several years ago, the previous governments are also responsible!)

Our demonstration was successful: we were even expected by representatives of the Ministry. The Minister of Environment, Pal Pepo wrote a letter saying that he did not agree with our petition (though he was too busy to read it) and referring to "our working relations which started so long ago" he protested against our demonstration on Earth Day.

During our demonstration Deputy State Secretary Mr Borbely claimed over the microphone that he had mailed the draft law on waste management to HuMuSz 8 days before, then he slipped it into our hands�. We got an invitation to the minister for the next Wednesday. Mr Borbely described our action as "intelligent" on TV2's evening programme.

Visit to Pal Pepo

At the Ministry of Environment Pepo started with an attack . He personally protested against our 'staining' Earth Day and demanded (!) we tell him which political party was behind the action. He also wanted to be informed where and why we had demonstrated the year before. He behaved in a very provocative way, putting the same question again and again. In the third minute of the "conversation" we were just about to leave. We kept explaining that since HuMuSz was HuMuSz we had fought against several ministers and state secretaries because none of them could understand the root of the problem with waste.

Pal Pepó changed his roles many times during our visit and was not able to listen to or understand any of our statements as he had strong preconceptions on everything. He behaved in an easily offended way and was vain of his titles and power.

This visit convinced us that Pal Pepo is unable to perform his personal and professional duties. He is not able to represent environmental interest towards the government and EU. He is not able to express its importance to the society either.

Pepó on environmentalists

He keeps repeating the following: "As far as I can see, some of the organizations are professionally insufficient to perform the tasks they had taken on." We know that sometimes this is the case, but the number of diplomas and degrees should not be the only criteria when evaluating non-governmental organizations' volunteers . Pepo does not seem to understand either the objectives, structure or the operation of the civil society.

"I get five letters every day which are written to find out if certain organizations really exist." We asked him to show some of these letters, but he declined. "Furthermore, environmental organizations are not only profesionally insufficient, but they are political in reality." He does not want to give up this paranoid idea. Hmmm, if any of the political parties wanted to use organisations like ours for political reasons, we would think that our opinion matters and our background in society was taken seriously. Is it politics if we are forced to the street to express our professional opinion? The Environmental Committee of the Parliament was also "green" some years ago just like we are. And we don't get answers to any of our letters to him now� Who is engaged in politics; someone who selects a minister because of political reasons or who works for the environment as a volunteer?

Activity of Minister Pal Pepo

Activity of Minister of Environment Pal Pepo is disadvantegous to the environment as well as to perception of our government and country. This is proved by reactions from abroad. While environmental organizations are developing cooperation with more and more ministries, our relationship with Pal Pepo is completely spoiled.

He ruined the ministry: starting with moving experts to the Ministry of Agriculture according to the agreement on coalition. The cleansing process was continued so successfully that now the ministry is unable to operate. The Department of Strategy as well as the Department for EU Integration was closed. The latter happened during the negotiations in Brussels and an environmental audit. Under these circumstances legislative processes and implementation of the National Environmental Program fall behind schedule, though we are aware that we have to fulfill the tasks of the Accession Program in order to join the Europen Union.

Moving the experts from the ministry, positions were given to professors and representatives of business sphere who had neither knowledge nor experience in state administration. The secretary of the minister, the former inspector of State Environmental Fund and two state secretaries could not tolerate this and left of their own free will. The minister often removes officers in responsible positions and replaces them with ones who have no experience, and he does it without inviting applications. This happened in the Hortobagy KHT and Duna Ipoly National Park, where a 65 years old reactivated pensioner got the director 's position.

We think that the Minister is politically insignificant and professionally insufficient. He avoids conflicts. It is impossible to discuss anything with him because he either does not appear at the meetings or leaves too early. Since he got his position, he has not negotiated on environment-related issues with APV. Rt and other ministries.

Unfortunately he is also unable to communicate, to understand the main points and has preconceptions on every issue, even if he has no information on the given topic. He refuses all critics, referring to the number of degrees and publications that he and his staff have. He is unable to understand that his experience in plant breeding and education is not enough for taking the leading role in nature conservation and environmental protection and finding his way in state administration.

Besides, he often makes mistakes in protocol during formal visits,ruining Hungary's reputation (visit at the Minister of Environment in Austria wearing jogging suit.)

We think Pal Pepo is not the right person for the position of the Minister of Environment!

Hopefully the coalition parties can find the right person,someone who has a more respectful attitude towards environmental protection and can take more responsibility during the Accession Process.