Northern (N): Hungary (NH). Annual Review for 1961

A file containing a report produced by Ivor Pink, the British ambassador to Hungary, on developments in Hungary during 1961. The report discusses Pink's view that 1961 was a "comparatively uneventful" year, with slow material and economic progress; the strengthening of the position of János Kádár, the Hungarian leader, who has succeeded in improving his personal popularity amongst the Hungarian people; and the Hungarian government's success in raising living and housing standards in Hungarian cities, and "bringing a semblance of normality to everyday life". The report also covers economic developments in Hungary; the publication of a new five-year plan; and the struggles faced by Hungarian agriculture during 1961, with the benefits promised following the completion of the collectivisation of Hungarian agriculture not yet forthcoming. The report further comments on developments in Hungarian international relations, including the state of relations between Hungary and Britain.