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Budapest, Romai-part [on the western bank of the Danube in Budapest]. In a day’s time the spot I’m standing on now will be inaccessible. By tomorrow the expected large incoming mass of water will be as high as my head; and a day or two later it will be two metres higher. But the water management experts are fully confident in the belief that the highest water level this week won’t exceed the highest level ever recorded. They say that if we could cope with that, we’ll be able to cope with a lower level. We have three critical sections: one is the Szigetköz [in Western Hungary], another is the Danube Bend [north of Budapest], and the third is Budapest itself. Technical liaison officers have been assigned, and they’re at their posts. They’re the ones who will help the volunteers to avoid chaos, and rationally coordinate the acts of goodwill with which people will assist in the defence efforts. All the necessary tools – technical tools and financial tools – have been made available. [Interior Minister] Sándor Pintér is responsible for disaster management, and so he’s in overall charge of the defence efforts. I’m sure that he’ll manage the work well, as has been the case in all previous floods. And the Government is behind him, as is the Prime Minister whenever needed. It will be difficult, but we can do it.
