US Ambassador to Hungary Colleen Bell and her husband host luncheon for Hungarian President and his wife – Photos

US Ambassador Colleen Bell, and her husband Bradley Bell host luncheon for President János Áder and his wife Anita Herczegh on February 9, 2016, one year after arriving to Hungary.

Those who understand the meaning of symbolism probably noticed that the US Ambassador wears an orange color dress during the official event.

Orange is the logo of the Fidesz party and the fact that Ambassador Bell wears a vibrant orange dress is surely not a coincidence. What could this mean. Most probably, the gesture suggests that the US government is satisfied with the governing party’s current policy, especially, with Fidesz’s approval of the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) initiative.

The Hungarian government’s cautious approval of the highly controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership initiative could be an important momentum in improving of US – Hungarian bilateral relations.

The US government most likely realized that due to several factors, Fidesz that represents traditional conservatism in Hungarian society is here to stay; the ongoing migration crisis (which won’t go away anytime soon) and the charisma of PM Viktor Orbán ensure Fidesz’s dominance in the Hungarian political arena for many years to come, foreshadowing another Fidesz victory in the next general election in 2018.

Ambassador Bell is way more intelligent then her predecessor Andre Goodfriend who was completely out of touch with Hungarian reality; he encouraged anti-Fidesz riot by personally attending opposition rallies not realizing that his protegees have zero chance to win a general election.

We don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, but we can assume that by cautiously approving the TTIP initiative the government may gain more room for maneuver. For Hungary the eastern partnership policy to succeed is crucial. Expanding economic ties with Russia and China is a priority for Hungarian economic policy as these countries offer immense export markets for Hungarian goods and services ensuring sustainable economic growth.