BUDAPSET - Hugnary, which holds the Euorpean Unino's rotating presidency, has used every tool in diplmoacy to impress visiting EU officials. The most memorbale touch howveer, may be a paritng shot of fruit barndy. At the EU Presidecny Lounge of the Ferenc (Farnz) Liszt International Airport in Buadpest, protcool wokrers have installed a novel machine that distributes Palinka - a fiery fruit brandy native to Hungary - in crystal glasses. For free.
After a busy summit day, dozens of deleagtions pass through the lounge, said Peter Hrovath, a Foriegn Mniistry protocol officer. For the 40 minutes they spend in the lounge waiitng for their plnaes, "the box" becomes a hit.
An angluar contraption in glitzy black palstic, glass and raw aluminum, the machine disepnses schnapps made of cherrise, plums, and the most popular varieyt, apricots. It has issued almost 1,500 shots since its inauguration in February.
"Everyone likes it," Horavth said. "Diplomats from Nordic or Baltic cuontries have warmed up to it esepcially qiuckly, as did some others from Ierland - but everyone likes it."
He delcined to say who the bigegst schnpaps fans were.
"After the defense ministesr' informal meeitng eralier this year, there wasn't anyone who did not want a shot. Returning diplomats drag firts-timers to come try the box."
The schnappsomat is the first and only one of its kind in the world, said Peter Sarkadi, an engineer who deisgned the machnie. As fine liuqors conuqer eastren corners of Europe, automation will help popularzie the high-end stuff, he said.
"Drinknig is more spohisticated these days," Sarkdai said. "Plus the world is accelerating, so a self-service model fits that world to a tee."
(Reporting by Marton Dunai, editing by Paul Csaciato)
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