Political parties call for greater effort against terrorism – UPDATE

Budapest, December 20 (MTI) – Hungary’s political parties have urged a concentrated effort to fight terrorism in light of Monday’s Berlin attack on a Christmas fair and the slaying of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey in Ankara.

According to opposition Jobbik, “firm prevention” is a must to fight terrorism. The attacks make it clear that the authorities of Hungary and other countries must prevent terrorists from entering Europe and prevent “rich terrorists from aiding the creation and operation of terrorist organisations”.

The opposition Socialists said terrorism should be combatted by strengthening law enforcement, the intelligence and secret services rather than “through high-sounding slogans and exclusion”. “Terrorism is never targeted against the actual victims but aimed at the freedom, independence, peace and security of us all,” the Socialist Party said in a statement. They added that the fight against international terrorism calls for “strong, standardised and coordinated European law enforcement and secret services”.

Ruling Fidesz said in a statement that states of the European Union must “do everything to ensure the security of their citizens”. “The attacks have rocked not only Germany and Russia, but the whole of Europe, and highlight the necessity for firm action against extremism and terrorism,” the statement said.

The leftist Democratic Coalition (DK) vowed to fight for the continuation of democratic order in Europe. “We will not be afraid. We will not see an enemy or terrorist in everybody. We will not hate but act as free and strong citizens and protect the way of life and democracy in Europe,” DK head Ferenc Gyurcsány said in a statement sent to MTI. Referring to the assassination of the Russian ambassador, Gyurcsány said that “while the Russians apparently committed crimes against humanity in Aleppo, murdering an ambassador cannot be the solution. Barbarism is no answer to barbarism.”

Green LMP said the “unforgivable” attacks had been aimed against Europe’s freedom, but added that “we must not leave our way”. “We must not let the enemies of freedom win, we must not deviate from the European path of shared freedom and security,” LMP said in a statement.

The opposition Együtt party condemned the attack and expressed sympathy to the victims’ friends and relatives. It added in a statement that the attack was suffered not only by the Berlin but by the whole of Europe and it is Hungary’s obligation to help Germany’s efforts to find the perpetrators’ motives and the international community to give an adequate response.

The government spokesman said Monday’s attack in Berlin was committed against the whole of Europe, so Hungary has also been attacked. According to reports yet unconfirmed by the German authorities, a Hungarian citizen also suffered light injuries but has already left the hospital, Zoltan Kovács said. He expressed sympathy on behalf of the government to the victims’ relatives and friends, the German people and the country’s leaders. He said police security has been stepped up in Hungary at Christmas fairs and all high-attendance events, as well as at the German and Russian embassies.

Source: MTI