I started my writing profession in 1969 in Hungary, at the age of 19. My first short stories were lightly censored -- you could never figure our why -- usually because of sexual allusions. Socialism and its leaders were traditionally prudish. Later, in 1980, a novel of mine was rejected by one of the state-run publishing houses -- there were two of them at the time. They said the novel could not be published because it was politically false. It told a story of a kindergarten-aged boy. Unfortunately, the year was 1956 and the Revolution was a top priority for the censors.

I did not have many problems with the two main taboos of the 60s, 70s, and 80s: first, the presence of the Russian troops in the Hungary, and second, the political system based on one single party, that of the communists. Since I wrote mainly stories about families, love and other sentiments, the censors seldom crossed my roads. Other writer fellows were not so lucky. A few books were destroyed after they were printed. A few writers were chased abroad. Among others, two (then) young authors, George Dalos and Miklós Haraszti had serious problems; they were taken away a couple of times. Dalos chose emigration, he now lives in Berlin. Haraszti became a central figure of the dissident movement, and he was an MP in the democratic Parliament after 1990, as a member of SZDSZ, a new liberal party. Now he also lives abroad, as a media expert for the European Union, in Vienna.

Since the collapse of socialism, there has been no formal censorship in Hungary. But, the place of censorship of politics was taken over by censorship at the hand of finances. This censorship is almost as strong as the traditional. Many writers are simply not published because they wouldn't have enough readers. Publishers do not take the risk. Many journalists cannot write articles they would like to because the papers they work for accept only pieces that arouse public attention. Catastrophes, death, sex, private life and stardom control the Hungarian press and media. Readers may be interested in the truth, but editors and publishers are not. They are paid by the owners, and the latter are mainly interested in income.

What can be said? I know that our freedom of speech seems quite perfect compared to that in many countries. But, when you answer such a question, you compare yourself to the most developed countries. And even there...When I lived in the U.S. I wrote some humorous pieces about the American life. On of them appeared in the The New York Times on the Op-Ed Page, with the title How I'll Become an American. To my great surprise, one paragraph was cut out. They said, as a Hungarian I shouldn't meddle into that touchy subject.

Here is the paragraph in question: "As an American I'll buy a gun. I'll buy a machine-gun and a handgun. I'll also buy a few grenades just because they will be a real bargain. I'll open fire in the Time Square subway station and on the Staten Island ferry. I won't plead guilty; I'll tell my lawyer that I am insane. My lawyer will believe me. My judge won't. I'll get ten years. When they let me out of jail I'll buy myself a valuable new gun to celebrate my freedom." This happened back in 1989.

So, we Hungarians have not much to be ashamed of. I am not impatient. I am sure that when newborn capitalism becomes 100 year old in Hungary, in 2090, our freedom of speech will by then be faultless. Now, how to live that long to see it? I don't know, but I'm working on it.