Hungary’s name will officially change from the “Republic of Hungary” to simply “Hungary” (Magyar Köztársaság to Magyarország)
on January 1st, and consequently the government has been planning to
change the country’s name in laws as well as preparing to change signs
on the border. In order to change the “Republic of Hungary” to just
“Hungary” in previously passed legislation, the government has proposed a
bill, which was supposed to have been discussed last Friday, but has
been delayed until this week.
Apparently there was not as much fuss in 1989 when the “Peoples’
Republic of Hungary” became the “Republic of Hungary.” Instead, people
were simply told to ignore the “peoples’” part of the name in official
paperwork, so that such documents occasionally still appear, although
whenever a law was modified the then new name of “Republic of Hungary”
was inserted.
Additionally, Hungary’s name change will necessitate the replacement
of seventy-three signs on the border, which is estimated to cost Ft 5.5
million (€18,000).