Zsolt Nyitrai and Bence Rétvári gave welcome addresses on 7 April 2011 at the formal printing of a special envelop released on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States of America. The event was attended by Her Excellency Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, Ambassador of the United Stated in Hungary.

In his speech delivered on the occasion of the release of a commemorative envelope, Minister of State for Infocommunication Zsolt Nyitrai of the Ministry of National Development emphasised that Ronald Reagan had undertaken a significant role in weakening communist dictatorships. To this very day, the President’s call made during his 1987 visit to Berlin remains memorable. He said: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Mr Nyitrai pointed out that during Reagan’s presidency, the funds earmarked for innovation in the United States were increased considerably and the technological improvements of the day made a considerable contribution to the modernisation of the economy.

In his address, Parliamentary Under-secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, Bence Rétvári pointed out the historical role Ronald Reagan had in overthrowing global Communism. Without the commitment and courage of the president, change of regime could not have been so peaceful and fast as it was in Hungary either. Using a common sense politics, President Reagan was capable of ultimately subverting the mendacious and fatuous Communist system. Mr Rétvári also reminded of the fact that President Reagan was a true conviction politician, who believed in the permanence of values and communicated his belief to the nation of the United States while in office.

Wishing to express the high appreciation of Hungarians who love freedom and independence, the Hungarian Post pays homage to Ronald Reagan by the issue of a commemorative envelope bearing a printed portrait of Ronald Reagan with the words “Ronald Reagan was born 100 years ago” next to the stamp “Demolished Iron Curtain”, which was issued in 1989. During the ceremonial printing, the Hungarian Parliament’s chairman by seniority János Horváth, Hungary’s former foreign minister and ambassador to Washington, Géza Jeszenszky, as well as Jenő Megyesy, one-time member of Ronald Reagan’s campaign staff recalled their personal memories of President Reagan.

(Ministry of National Development , Department of Communication)