Teenage angst that led to girl’s disappearance

Julie Russell

Aug 19th 2012, 08:16

They come to Malta because the drinking age is ridiculous and anyone underage can go to a nightclub or bar.Don't blame teenagers, blame adults. We created their haven here. i bring students and they love Malta and they really want to learn English. Teenagers foreign or local will always have a bad side, it's up to the responsible adults to keep this island safe. And as for Hungary to assume and blame Malta for human trafficking, see what's going on your doorstep before you blame our island.

James Attard

Aug 19th 2012, 07:50

Most of the blame for getting the 'bad name' falls on the same Maltese commentators/facebookers who were dissidents of the possibility that the girl just ran away from home. Most of these people speculate and jump into conclusions before the police official report is made public, thinking they are some kind of investigators and spread fear among citizens, without even realizing they are also spreading such reports to neighbor countries.

There is a fine line between expressing an opinion/concern, and spreading false news. Let's learn from this incident please and stop being Mr/s Conclusions.

www.jamesattard.com

m borg

Aug 19th 2012, 01:41

Put her in a cell to experience living alone ... maybe it will serve these irresponsible teens a lesson for causing all the waste of time on high authorities and concerns. Bunch of idiots.

Peter Shaw

Aug 18th 2012, 23:16

This girl must first apologise to her relatives and then she must apologise publicly to the whole Maltese population for throwing such a bad light on our islands. Very irresponsible and disgusting!

Gilbert Lia

Aug 18th 2012, 19:16

Some 'students' are so immature that they do not realise that when they commit certain actions they may cause a certain mayhem and concern.I do not understand if they sre so irresponsible,why let them travel alone in another foreign country??

Yaz Tabone

Aug 18th 2012, 18:10

“As a result, many of my friends decided not to send their teenage daughters to Malta to study English,” he said.

^^ is that meant to be a bad thing? the less students we get, the better!

Dorris geddes

Aug 18th 2012, 14:18

If she wants to experience the real world....send her back to Hungary....

Alfred Mangion

Aug 18th 2012, 14:14

A big Thank You goes to Mr Christian Farago, the uncle of the young lady, for opening up with The Times. However, I consider it very appropriate if he were to give an interview to the Hungarian media who, he says, "gave wide coverage to the story and depicted Malta as a hotbed of kidnapping and human trafficking". Unless he does so immediately, I strongly and forcefully suggest that this article should be sent to the Hungarian media who were so prompt to allege what could be happening in their country.

Tony Borg

Aug 18th 2012, 13:58

With the help of this man the Tourism Authority should get in contact with the Hungarian media, through diplomatic channels, as well and get this Media companies to reverse all that had been said about Malta.

MTA should push for a a full TV campaign on Hungarian TV to clear all the air. That would be a good price for them to pay back at least.
They should have waited before splashing bad news.

Joe Muscat

Aug 18th 2012, 12:55

It is very unfair and unnecessary for Malta to get a bad name over this incident. The media will be the media and looks ofr sensational stories... At the moment the hungarians do not have much to write about, apart from unemployment and th hardships people in Hungary are going through. So a missing Hungarian girl in Malta would go down a real treat. I just wonder how much dama has been done....A couple of years ago two very damaging documentaries were aired on French and Swedish TV concentrating on Paceville and teenage drinking and sex... The local authorities do not seem to be fighting back with any enforcement regarding what is happening in Paceville vis-a-vis kids under the age of 17.... Now all we needed is this story which was blown out of proportion in the Hungarian media... Do we answer back somehow? Malta is being depicted as a hotspot for human trafficking....A very serious allegation in my opinion... And not something we can easily sweep under the carpet..

Elvin Muscat

Aug 18th 2012, 12:45

A lot of these teenagers come to Malta with this fantasy that the Island is safe. Safe to a certain extent, but not entirely, these teenagers are thrown into a huge party on arrival, boys and girls mix with no inhibition, they dance till the early hours of the morning. They are treated like stars, and that is when the wolves come into the game, wearing sheep's clothing. I think a more understanding and responsible approach by the language school operators is needed, some seem to think its not their problem if something happens to them. They were paid so let them enjoy themselves, who really cares.

Mr Kevin Zammit

Aug 18th 2012, 12:34

Quite honestly I'm not too excited with these students really. They're more trouble than they are worth. If this is what Malta aspires its tourism to look like we are really scrapping the bottom of the barrel. These "students" are here on a cheap holiday staying with families and using public transport.

Malta's tourism should have developed into a more higher end with less tourists but same revenue. First off the infrastructure is clearly making a huge unsustainable loss due to the larger numbers and obviously the hospitality industry cannot afford the water and energy rates because they have been accustomed for too long with too many subsidies so now they cannot pay the real price. And i we think this is just water and electricity we're wrong. Its roads, public transport, public servants to process papers, the airlines and most of all maintaining the historical and natural heritage. And have we really accounted for all this? Not only have we not taken this into consideration we kept going on about our business blowing smoke in people's eyes and some top people patting themselves on the back and feeling very clever.

Its all very bad management ... 25 years of it.

John Azzopoardi

Aug 18th 2012, 11:58

A lot of young men and women feel this way and they don'trealize how good they have it living at home, not paying the bills, the rent, etc. And of course some of them then fall into a life of crime, prostitution, drugs, etc. THere needs to be more awareness of how life the young people have it. the age between 15-20 is very critical for these youths as they think they know it all and can do anything without knowing the consequenes or what life has to give. So young people out there, always remember, there is nothing like home. No matter what mess you think you are in. Family is there for you all the time whether you know it or not.

Joe Xuereb

Aug 18th 2012, 11:39

The teenage years are always problematic, in any country (bar a few where misbehaviour is punished with stoning this acting as an effective deterrent although in a place like London, they behave like the British locals and do even worse) in any generation. Something to do with the hormones and peer pressure of course.

Another sign of the times is that perceived by young adults who ahead a life of strife being paid peanuts for ever soaring cost of living - they are lucky IF they have a job of sorts. Astronomical debts after University, likewise rents. As for thinking of getting marriage, having children, getting a crippling mortgage - forget it! Is it any wonder that the young run away and also from (terrifying) responsibilities. The over-the-top fashion statements, the dabbling in soft drugs, the rock-concert culture, the seeking answers in Born Again This and Born Again That are all symptoms that have replaced the old systems of greater security, less pressure, and greater ability to believe what we were told with no questions asked. Those times will never come back for money is the New God - for those who have it in buckets and those who do not, and never will. They rebel. And one does not have to be a teenager to do that.

It is unfortunate that Agnes Revesz disappeared at about the same time that the tragic Polina Rahman did. This, and shenanigans in Paceville, plus media talk of boat-people being trafficked fed the imagination of the Hungarian community. Trafficking happens, not least the 'official' one where people's lives are being degraded because these are the times we are living in (here in London there is an growing industry of young people leafletting house-to-house (delivering junk mail the pizza makers being desperate to increase their sales - what I call the industrialisation of the humble poor-people's food in downtown Naples now being the glorifying marketing across the globe, and two for the price of one and all that), importuning anybody on the streets for much the same reason or to ask for regular direct-debit payments to charity this and that(popularly known as 'chuggers', ie. charity muggers such are their aggressive tactics), voluntary work which is merely doing Community Service by any other name (with the young voluntary workers being innocent lambs to the slaughter, naturally). And that old, old throwback, prostitution. Male and female. Sign of the times. And manifestations all of this as observed during my frequent visits to Hungary where we go 'to take the waters' (at the spas and their mineral springs to make it clear). And like us here in Malta, they have their fair share of economic migrants from deepest Africa, lolling around on park benches doing nothing and no hope of that changing any time soon. Welcome to the world, anywhere!

Franco Farrugia

Aug 18th 2012, 11:07

That's what many parents are shielding their children from - responsibilities. You can see it even at school from the early years. And then, the chickens come home to roost and those same parents start realising that something did not go quite right in the upbringing. I know it's easy to talk, because admittedly parenthood has become increasingly difficult and it continues to get more difficult as time goes by. But that's the choice that parents made.

C Cassar

Aug 18th 2012, 10:57

Surely the Hungarian media can be sued for substantial damages by the Maltese governement over the ficticious information relayed. Come on Malta, go and take the Hungarian media to court for several 10's of million of lost tourism revenue and damaged reputation.

Victor Pulis

Aug 18th 2012, 10:54

Has the Hungarian media been informed of the real reason after the disappearance of Ms.Revesz?
It is only fair that malta's name is cleared of their insinuations.We have a billion shortcomings here let's not add other non existant ones please.

Sean Azzopardi

Aug 18th 2012, 10:50

as usual ... a bunch of fuss for nothing

JJ Agius

Aug 18th 2012, 10:46

Mr Farago said he never contacted the Hungarian press nor his family.Well he should now ;say it was the hungarian girl herself who gave Malta a bad image through her concern! I hope the above form of apology
on T.O.M.by Mr Farago will be in the Hungarian Media.
J.J.

Charles Micallef

Aug 18th 2012, 10:30

it just confirms how important it is to keep the public informed with the outcome of such incidents, to ensure that future visitors are not put off from visiting Malta in the future, we all know that Malta is a very safe destination, but that is not enough, we have to convince other future visitors, in this case the Hungarians that Malta is a safe destination!

Anthony Scicluna

Aug 18th 2012, 10:16

Mr Farago, it is better to be safe than sorry. As long as the young lady is perfectly fine and coming to terms with her issues, it's all ok. Good luck to you and your family. And, most youths feel that way - you are not alone - life is a beautiful journey despite all the hardships that are thrown along the way. Some will be extremely tough but smiles, laughter, and kindness all provide some meaning

Mr F J Brincat

Aug 18th 2012, 10:15

“The Hungarian media gave wide coverage to the story and depicted Malta as a hotbed of kidnapping and human trafficking"

Oh do me a favour!

“As a result, many of my friends decided not to send their teenage daughters to Malta to study English,” he said."

Do me another favour, why don't you? Keep your teenage daughters in Hungary and spare us the hassle.

Maria Debono

Aug 18th 2012, 10:06

I hope that Mr Farago had the guts to contact the Hungarian media and let them know that it was his niece who decided to leave home, and that Malta is a safe place for tourists especially students.

Michael Schembri

Aug 18th 2012, 09:57

Damage is done, she should be out of this country. We can't afford to have irresponsible people like her!

Peter Shaw

Aug 18th 2012, 09:54

This girl must first apologise to her relatives and then she must apologise publicly to the whole Maltese population for throwing such a bad light on our islands. Very irresponsible and disgusting!

Steve Pace

Aug 18th 2012, 09:51

Whatever her reasons were to leave home, the most important thing is that she is safe. If one had to look at the positive side of things , one could say that many people were worried and from what i saw, many people were shocked at the fate of Polina and really feared the worse in this case . Good luck to Ahnes and her family . At the end of the day most of us do things other's dont seem to understand at some stage in our lives.

m. borg (slm)

Aug 18th 2012, 09:50

"But Mr Farago stressed that his family never contacted the press in Hungary."


What's keeping them from doing so now?

Lawrence Cardona

Aug 18th 2012, 09:49

Hungary blamed Malta for human trafficking and kidnapping that means that this country knows nothing of Malta i think they should invest some money and learn some maltese history malta is well known as a safe place and from my side that i travel a lot no other country is safe then Mthis is only an other country point of view to damage an other country reputation hope that the autorities will do something about this and ask the Hugarian Prime minister to issue a statment in favour of our country.

Victor Rodenas

Aug 18th 2012, 09:46

I am sure that some Maltese girls and boys go missing too but their parents do not report them as missing,they know that after some days they will come back,......thet are having some fun somewhere,sometimes even abroad.A Maltese proverb goes like this, `if a branch grows warped when it grows older you cannot make it straight again`.

Steve M. Engerer

Aug 18th 2012, 09:34

Has the Hungarian media apologized now for the way they depicted Malta after this incident!!!!???

The amount of bad airtime that Malta was lambasted with when the Hungarian media made it a point that Malta is a hotbed for human trafficking should now be given in favour of Malta.


As for you Ms. Agnes Revesz this only proves how un-responsible you really are!!! you acted like an 8 year old & thus you should be in bed by 8 o'clock...

Ludgardo Zammit

Aug 18th 2012, 09:32

@ Mr. Farrago,
If you are so sad about what your country's media wrongly reported and how Malta was depicted, why don't you now issue a statement to the same media, explaining what really happened to your niece?

Maria Vassallo

Aug 18th 2012, 09:30

QUOTE:
She just thought she could leave and not have to do anything... live a life without responsibilities. But that cannot happen,” Mr Farago said.

COMMENTS:
She is not the only one who reasons like this!
Certain teenagers want to do whatever they like:
disregard their parents and members of their extended family;
could not care less about people who are suffering;
insist to have money as much as they like in their pockets and not for their real needs;
come home in the early hours of the morning after spending the night out;
involve themselves in binge drinking and sex;
engage themsleves in swear works and outright blasphemy;
etc., etc., etc.