Interview – Vona: Hungarians fear ‘return to one-party rule’

Budapest, April 11 (MTI) – Commenting on a government proposal to amend the constitution with the aim of tightening anti-terrorism laws, Jobbik leader Gábor Vona told public radio on Monday that support from his party for the measures that require a two-thirds majority would be contingent on guarantees that the ruling Fidsez party would not amass powers under the changes which could return Hungary to “one-party rule”.

Referring to cross-party talks held on Friday, Vona told Kossuth radio that whereas it is true that Hungarians fear migration and terrorism, they also fear a return to authoritarian rule. Whereas it is true that counter-terrorism measures do inconvenience society, for instance in the area of human rights, there must be limitations on the powers of the state and legal guarantees that all parties can support, he said.

He also criticised the way in which the government’s proposals were being handled, noting that both the interior and defence ministries were managing the process “chaotically and through several channels”.

The government wants sole power to declare a state of emergency for 60 days. Jobbik wants to shorten this period to only 3 days and to include various other authorities besides the government in any decision to lengthen this period, Vona said.

Commenting on recent polls showing the opposition Socialists have gained a lead over Jobbik, Vona insisted that respected pollsters still find Jobbik is the second strongest party after ruling Fidesz.

Asked to comment about the foreword he wrote in the Hungarian edition of the volume of an Italian anti-Semitic author, Julius Evola, the Jobbik leader said he did not understand the critics since he had written it to a book by “one of the most influential Italian philosophers of the 20th century”. He added that because he had written a foreword to the book did not mean that he agreed with all his ideas, though he sympathised with some.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters