Amazingly we don't yet have a country topic for Hungary. But the bombshell it dropped at yesterday's WHC justifies starting one!!!
This subject is going to run and run so it seems better to take it out of the 2019 WHC topic.
Hungary's late withdrawal of an element of the Danube Limes nomination meant that ICOMOS considered that its evaluation of the site (which had reached an "Inscribe" conclusion) was invalid and that nomination was impossible without a reconsideration.
ajoszucs has given us a
run down of the situation such as it is known and apparently the "blame" lies somewhere within the machinations of the Orban family and its cronies who don't fancy the restrictions on development which would follow an inscription of Hajógyári island.
But the person I felt really sorry for was the guy from the Hungarian delegation who had to formally announce the withdrawal and apologise to everyone who had worked long and hard to bring the nomination forward and gain AB approval. The fall guy who had nothing to do with the decision!
ajoszucs gave his name as Zsolt Vissy. His
wiki entry shows him to be a 75 year old professional archaeologist who has spent his entire career becoming the "World Expert" on Roman Pannonia and Dacia etc. He has also led investigations at Pecs (his home university since 1984) and worked his way up to be Chair of the Hungarian UNESCO Committee.
It must have seemed like the crowning of his career to have been appointed in 2016 as "
Ministerial Commissioner "The borders of the Roman Empire - The Hungarian section of the Danube Limes" and the tasks related to the presentation of the palace palace on Hajógyári Island." (Wiki).
Instead it turned out to be something of a hospital pass and a demonstration of the dangers academics face when they mix with politicians and businessmen!!!
This photo of Prof Vissy shows that it was indeed he who was leading the Hungarian delegation at this year's WHC!