During the election campaign there was talk of a possible Fidesz government considering the liquidation of the National Cultural Fund of Hungary (NKA), which has been in operation since 1994. 

I did not take on the management of NKA as a temporary position, but for four years. Since I directed the fund between 1998 and 2002, I feel that to some degree it is my own. I regard its operations as emblematic; it would be a huge mistake to shut it down, although there is no doubt that it is in need of drastic reforms. 

Is it not functioning properly now?

NKA's three objectives - the creation, propagation and preservation of culture - are no longer in proportion since the creation of culture has been pushed into the background. For example, this year no creators contest was announced in the fields of literature and music. In contrast to this, so-called mega events and festivals hailed as cultural were given major emphasis, which should not be financed from NKA funds. In the future such projects could be financed from NKA's ministerial budget.

Is that all that needs to be changed?

The planned changes merely represent a new attitude. I don't want to turn the system upside down. The previous eight years are also a part of NKA's history, and I respect the decisions of the time. However, it is strategically important that we return to the so-called pyramid principle which was elaborated during the time of my first presidency. The task of NKA is to ensure a broad base, i.e. the more applicants it supports; the higher the peak of the pyramid will reach.

What criteria will the distribution be based on?

In addition to being value-centred, attention must be paid to the social situation of applicants, and a balance must be maintained between Budapest, the countryside and the regions beyond the border. In 2010 the capital received 3.2 billion forints, the countryside 1.7 billion and those beyond the borders 110 million forints. This is flagrantly disproportionate. Special attention must be given to child and youth culture.  Based on the pyramid principle we must also provide opportunities for elderly poets living on the breadline to get their works published. Meanwhile, we must also provide the support necessary to enable the functioning of small communities. While in 2010 the Göncöl Foundation received only 80,000 forints from István Hiller, the former cultural minister, the Sunday issue of Népszava (a highly popular daily) was allocated 14 million. Such disproportion has to be eradicated.

Would you change the boards of experts?

Yes, to some extent. For example, I would combine the board of monument protection with that of architecture, and the board of archaeology with that of the museum profession. Now that the Ministry of National Resources, which supervises several large systems, has been established,NKA will have the opportunity to work together with new areas such as health care, education and the social sphere. 

Two billion forints of NKA's funds were frozen, although with the exception of the central budget, this is the biggest institution financing culture. This is why the former president, László Harsányi, resigned.

When I took on this position I was fully aware that this amount had been frozen. However, the income of NKA was over 7.2 billion forints  up until the beginning of August , thus by the end of 2010 the amount that we will be able to spend could rise above 10 billion. My recommendations do not require newfinancial resources , but merely a financial reallocation.

The frozen sum also affects the 600 million earmarked for the Márai program, which has been subject to serious professional and political debate. This means that the Márai book project will certainly not be launched this year.

This will at least enable us to incorporate the professional proposals that were elaborated on in the meantime. This project has been on the agenda for a long time. The fact that itcame to nothing is not the fault of the current government, but of past neglect. We will have time in the next five months to finalise the Márai project and I hope that it can be launched in January 2011.

MARCELL JANKOVICS

Born in Budapest in 1941. • In 1960 he joined the Pannónia Film Company. A director from 1965. • From 1981 he taught at the College of Applied Arts. • The managing director of Pannóniafilm Ltd. from 1996 • The president of the National Cultural Fund of Hungary between 1998 and 2002. • Since 2003 he has been a member of Fidesz's cultural department.