‘We hope to improve healthcare and education’

ISTVÁN DOVÁK is waiting to have surgery to relieve water that is putting pressure on his brain. This follows two operations to remove a tumour. Wife Gyiorgyi says they will pay for the operation so he will not have to wait in a queue for the procedure.

The couple has four children and István has two by a previous marriage. They are better off than most Hungarians, with two quite good salaries coming into the house each month, although István was forced to take sick leave some months ago.

He is still on full pay of 640 a month compared to the minimum wage of 216 a month and as a pilot with Malev, the Hungarian national airline, he will qualify for a pension in two years.

Gyiorgyi also works with Malev as a highly qualified air traffic planner, and by working nights and other unpopular shifts, she averages 640 a month also.

But she worries about whether they will manage on his reduced pension with a 17-year-old son, a 14-year-old daughter and 11-year-old twins.

Their house in a quiet village of Kistarcsa some miles outside Budapest belongs to her mother who lives with them, and they have added on rooms and renovated it.

Bills for winter heating came to 200 for gas during a particularly cold month last year when temperatures dropped below minus 20 degrees. Electricity accounts for 32, the phones 60, water 28 every three months, school lunches for the three younger children cost 24 a month and milk adds up to 2 a day.

When you ask her about the EU, Gyiorgyi personal problems come first to her mind.

"Hungary will join for the future; it won't do a lot for me. Young people have other ideas and so Hungary joining will benefit them."

But she hopes EU membership will bring improved healthcare and education, better markets for Hungarian fruit and wine, and an end to the black market and to public corruption.

The health service is free, but Gyiorgyi usually gives cash to the doctor "it's better to", she explains. Doctors are paid by the state but their salaries are low, and she assumes the extra money they get from patients goes into their back pockets.

But she gets angry at having to pay for education grinds and special classes for the children. Both she and István speak English well, and they sent their eldest, Peter, to a private school in Budapest to learn the language because they believed he was not making enough progress at school.

They fume over what they see as the antics of many politicians: "I pay the tax and VAT and I see on the TV they are spending, spending and I do not know how I will pay the bills."

Then there are the tradesmen who offer two prices for work a higher one with a bill, and a lower without.

They welcome that Hungary has to harmonise its laws with the EU.

"It will end the loopholes that let criminals, especially high class criminals, find a way to escape now."

They plan to vote in favour of EU membership when Hungary is likely to be the first of the candidate countries to go to the polls, possibly next May.

But they say they worry that people living in the country, and especially those living near the Russian border, will vote no. "They grow very good apples and work very hard, but are afraid the EU will come and take their fields. Big brother to them is France, Germany, Britain and Russia," she said.