In autumn 1995, I was editor-in-chief of Danubius Radio, and after many years as a political journalist, I enjoyed working for a radio station that dealt with music and performance. That was when Cappuccino launched, the grandfather of all commercial morning shows. Life was good, Fradi defeated the Swiss, landing themselves a position in the Champions' League, and I had a ticket for their match against Ajax in Budapest. What more could I need?

I was on the way to the match when Henrik Havas phoned, saying Gyula Horn, the prime minister, had agreed to make him a state secretary in charge of promoting Hungary's image, and that he wanted me to serve as government spokesperson. I told Henrik that that was all very well, but I was on the way to a match, and that it wouldn't be able to discuss all the details on the phone. Ajax beat Fradi, and Gabor Kereszty of Hungarian State Television phoned me the next day, asking if I had a comment to make. What about, I asked? About claims on the radio that Gyula Horn and Gabor Kuncze, the leaders of the coalition parties, had agreed that Henrik Havas would be state secretary and I would government spokesperson. I told him I had no comment to make, and then I phoned the Prime Minister's Office, asking for the PM's chief of staff. He picked up the phone, and I told him there had to be some kind of misunderstanding, because I was not prepared to be spokesperson. He answered that he knew. "So what's this all about?" I asked. He told me to go to Parliament on Friday and we could discuss the whole issue. I went on Friday, and the PM was ready to see Havas and me.

Right at the start, I said it would be best for everyone if I didn't become spokesperson. The PM said he understood this might be the best thing for me, but why was it good for him?

"Because I've known Henrik for almost 20 years. We've written poems and books together, we set up a news agency together - but all our ventures had one thing in common. None lasted more than two weeks, and each was a failure. I don't think this fundamental fact has changed," I answered. "Haven't you thought about this, Henrik?" asked the PM. "No," he answered. We left, and a short while afterwards Henrik became both spokesperson and state secretary - for a good eight days.

It was a dramatic failure, and I still don't fully understand why it was necessary. Later, the PM offered the posts of state secretary and government spokesperson to me, but I told my former classmate that my colleagues would have trouble dealing with the sight of a fourth journalist appearing and then failing inside a year. We needed somebody who didn't rely on his professional reputation. So Elemer Kiss became the spokesperson. A similar solution is needed now, because people without any political weight are unable to comment convincingly in times of crisis.

József László