Activists of the We Are Majority civil group staged another demonstration for democracy in front of Parliament on Tuesday afternoon, following the new national assembly’s first session.
Speakers at the demonstration demanded that a “corrupt regime” should be removed and called for cooperation within the opposition.
In his address to participants, organiser Balázs Gulyás rejected ruling Fidesz’s “system based on inciting hatred” and urged that before the next municipal election the opposition should field joint candidates against nominees of the ruling parties.
Attila B. Hidvéghi, editor-in-chief of portal Romnet, said that the “indifference and apathy of people” should be removed and called for a joint effort by Roma and non-Roma to build a “predictable future and justice, without segregation or stigmatisation”.
According to estimates by the organisers, the event was attended by 10,000 people.
Some participants were carrying signs of the Democratic Coalition, Momentum, and the European Left, as well as the national colours and flags of the European Union.
The protest was disrupted by a hailstorm, and many people sought refuge under the arcades of a nearby building.
Police on Tuesday morning escorted several demonstrators out of Kossuth Square in front of Parliament, the Budapest police headquarters (BRFK) has said on its website.
BRFK said in a statement it had escorted the protestors out over personnel and facility security regulations, adding that it will close off Kossuth Square for cleanup and explosive detection work.
The commander of the Parliamentary Guard earlier ordered Kossuth Square to be closed off from 6pm on Monday to 2pm on Tuesday.
In its reasoning it said parts of the programme concerning the new parliament’s inaugural session would take place outdoors.
Those events are to be attended by the newly-elected MPs as well as several protected persons.
Meanwhile, radical nationalist Jobbik said it was “sneaky” of the state to have closed off Kossuth Square with the use of manpower, adding, at the same time, that the party considered it a small victory that Parliament had not been cordoned off.
Jobbik spokesman Ádám Mirkóczki told reporters that the people should also be allowed to express their opinion when they are criticising someone, and not just when they are celebrating someone.
He said ruling Fidesz was trying to bar the people from criticising it.
Jobbik, on the other hand, believes Hungary should remain a free country in which anyone can express their opinion irrespective of political affiliation.
Asked if Jobbik would participate in a demonstration planned for Tuesday afternoon, Mirkoczki said Jobbik’s MPs are free to attend if they so choose, but none of them will speak at the event, he added.
Civil protestors formed a human chain around Parliament on the eve of the inaugural session of the new national assembly.
The members of the demonstration organised by the Facebook group named “Rule of Law” lined up along the side of the building facing Kossuth Lajos square.
The protestors waved the national colours, European Union flags and some the flag of the European Left party.
The demonstrators set up a stage in front of Parliament on which several participants gave short speeches.
Photo: MTI
In the Facebook invitation to the demonstration, organisers called on Hungary to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), for the restoration of the previous constitution and election law and an independent public media.
The demonstrators said they plan to stay in front of Parliament until 6am on Tuesday after which they will to make their way to nearby Olimpia Park where they will submit a petition for Hungary to join the EPPO.
Contrary to earlier press reports, no cordons have been set up on Kossuth Lajos square. Police officers and members of the Parliamentary Guard can be seen in the area, MTI’s correspondent said.
Demonstrators dissatisfied with the state of the rule of law and press freedom in Hungary protested for democracy in the capital on Saturday afternoon.
Organised as a follow-up to last week’s demonstration, the event “2.0 We are the majority! – Another protest for democracy” started in Kossuth Square in front of Parliament. Protestors made their way to Budapest’s Szabadsajtó (Freedom of the Press) Road to hear speeches. Last week demonstration: Photos and Videos HERE!
“[Ruling] Fidesz has watered down the rule of law and stifled the press and this is why they have a two-thirds majority,” organisers of the protest have said.
They said the opposition parties “will also be put to work”, insisting that “they, too, are to blame for getting us to this point”.
“We have to fight together with them for a new, fair and just electoral law and the investigation of corruption cases.” “We … want to replace a regime,” they said. “The regime of [Prime Minister Viktor] Orbán that is corrupt to the core and endlessly nefarious…”
A number of opposition parties were represented at the demonstration.
Demonstrators protest for democracy in Budapest, photo: MTI
The protestors waved the national colours, European Union flags, the stripes of the House of Arpad and banners they made themselves.
When the protestors at the front of the demonstration reached Arany János Street proceeding along Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road, the last ones were starting out from Kossuth Square — a distance of around 1.1km.
Demonstrators protest for democracy in Budapest, photo: Balázs BéliDemonstrators protest for democracy in Budapest, photo: Balázs BéliDemonstrators protest for democracy in Budapest, photo: Balázs BéliDemonstrators protest for democracy in Budapest, photo: Balázs BéliDemonstrators protest for democracy in BudapestDemonstrators protest for democracy in Budapest, photo: MTI
Speakers called for the opposition to join together, for civil organisation, and immediate action to unseat the government.
At Szabadsajtó Road, the speakers said
the government was only able to stay in power through a campaign of fear, and they called for an end to “the campaign of hate and lies” and for the establishment of a “fair” public media.
They also called for solidarity and a the restoration of a united Hungary.
According to the organisers, the mass of demonstrators spanned from the Pest side of Elizabeth Bridge all the way to Astoria.
Péter Márki-Zay, photo: MTI
On Friday Jobbik’s vice president János Volner announced that his party initiated a national referendum to restore the freedom of the press in Hungary. Read more HERE.
Hungary will stand by the decision voters made on April 8 and will not budge one iota on its migration policy, cabinet chief Antal Rogán told news portal pestisracok.hu in an interview on Thursday.
Rogán said international attacks on Hungary’s migration policy “aren’t even particularly aimed at us”, but were part of a European debate about whether or not Europe would remain European or become a “continent of immigrants” with a mixed population. This is also what next year’s European Parliamentary elections will be about, Rogán said, adding that Europeans wanted the European Commission to come out in support of strong European borders instead of backing “the import of immigrants”.
“With the stakes this high, it is obvious that [Prime Minister] Viktor Orbán is a gigantic plank in the eyes of billionaires like [George] Soros and politicians promoting migration,” Rogán said. “They want to discredit us and the other governments opposed to migration as quickly as possible,” he insisted.
Rogán called it “extremely funny” that “certain people can chant that there’s no freedom of speech or democracy when they themselves are proving the opposite of this”.
“If I remember correctly, when we went out to demonstrate in 2006, we were beaten up badly and no one protested against that in Europe,” he said, referring to the events of the autumn of that year, when anti-government protests regularly turned violent, leading to clashes between protestors and police. “No one was worried for Hungarian democracy.”
Rogán said it was “completely normal” for those “who had hoped for a different result” in an election to voice their opinions and demonstrate. “What I have a problem with is that the protesters are being riled up from abroad [by those] with ulterior motives,” the cabinet chief said. “This goes against democracy and is completely unacceptable.”
On another subject, Rogán said that it was not businessman Lajos Simicska who had “ruined” Jobbik or the daily Magyar Nemzet, which was closed down by Simicska last week, but rather “the Jobbik leaders and journalists who joined forces with him at their own free will and accepted his money in return for carrying out his instructions”.
Demonstrations against the results of the April 8 general election were held on Sunday in the Hungarian cities of Pécs and Debrecen, and in Brussels.
In the southern Hungarian city of Pécs, at the demo organised by NGOs, speakers lambasted the election system, the “terrible state of the opposition parties” and the state of Hungarian health care and education. Speakers said “Hungary is turning more and more towards Ankara and Moscow”, and they called for unity and the “fight against lies” among opposition forces. The protestors waved the national colours, European Union flags and the red-white stripes of the House of Árpád.
In eastern Hungarian Debrecen, opposition parties organised a protest at the city’s main Kossuth square. Speakers of green LMP, opposition parties Momentum, Együtt, Jobbik and the satirical Two-tailed Dog Party (Kétfarkú Kutya Párt) demanded a new election, freedom of the press and a “real change of regime”. “We are the true majority,” they said, and pledged to “fight on” and pose a serious challenge to the “Orbán regime”. Demonstrators waved EU, national and House of Árpád flags.
The demonstration in Budapest on Saturday was not any grassroots initiative but was organised by the “Soros network” with the money of (US billionaire) George Soros, cabinet chief Antal Rogán said on public radio on Sunday.
As we wrote, Demonstrators dissatisfied with last week’s general election results protested in the capital on Saturday afternoon, calling for a new “honest” election. More details, photos and videos HERE.
Soros is the one who can’t accept last week’s election results, Rogán said on Kossuth Radio.
He said the opposition parties also had, in reality, nothing to do with the events on Saturday, suggesting they, too, are puppets.
If somebody can’t accept the results of the election, they have a right to express their opinion and disagree, Rogán said. However, such a big and convincing majority has never taken a decision till now, he added, referring to a sweeping victory by the Fidesz-Christian Democrat alliance in the general election a week earlier.
“I know that the opposition parties find this hard to accept,” Rogán said.
“Those shouting about fraud haven’t uncovered any errors that they could protest or bring to the election committees. This is nothing more than a political flea circus,” he added.
There were no more election appeals made now than there were four or eight years ago, Rogan said.
Hungary’s government has been given a strong mandate to counter the efforts of the European Union, the United Nations and George Soros, he added.
Hungarian people clearly want Hungary to stay Hungarian, while George Soros wanted to rig the election by supporting the opposition parties and “organisations that call themselves civil organisations”, Rogán said.
He noted that Soros’s organisations have almost 16 billion dollars at their disposal.
Demonstrators dissatisfied with last week’s general election results protested in the capital on Saturday afternoon, calling for a new “honest” election.
The demonstration, called “We are the majority! – Protest for democracy”, started in front of the opera house on Andrássy Avenue. Protestors made their way to Kossuth Square, in front of parliament, to hear speeches.
The organisers, who announced the demonstration on Facebook, wrote that “the election system of Fidesz and the government’s campaign of hate have squeezed the majority into a one-third minority”. They called for a recount of votes, a free press, a new election law and for the “opposition not to fight with itself”.
A number of opposition parties were represented at the demonstration.
The protestors waved the national colours, European Union flags, the stripes of the House of Árpád and banners they made themselves.
When the protestors at the front of the demonstration turned onto Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street from Andrássy Avenue, the last ones were starting out from Liszt Ferenc Square, a distance of some 800 metres. Arriving in front of the parliament building, the crowd filled Kossuth Square, overflowing into neighbouring streets.
Speakers at the square called for solidarity and unity among democrats in the interest of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and freedom of the press. They also urged joint action by opposition parties to unseat the government.
Disappointed with election results, demonstrators protest in Budapest, photo: MTIDisappointed with election results, demonstrators protest in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration organiser Örs Lányi also called for unity to replace the government.
Balázs Gulyás, who organised an earlier demonstration against a proposed tax on internet use, said Fidesz had become “a party of lies, hate, fear and stolen assets”.
He said the “playing field was terribly tilted” during the election, adding that if Fidesz had any honour, it would dissolve parliament and call new elections.
Péter Márki-Zay, the recently elected mayor of Hódmezővásárhely, in south-eastern Hungary, who ran as an independent jointly supported by opposition parties, urged the protestors in a letter to pull together for a Hungary without corruption and without fear.
Gergely Homonnay, a writer, journalist and teacher, called for a new electoral system and demanded to recall Chief Public Prosecutor Péter Polt so that corruption cases can be properly investigated.
Viktor Gyetvai, the organiser of the Independent Student Parliament demonstrations, said the demonstrators were there to say no to oppression.
This movement “is the beginning of a process, which means hope” that young people do not have to leave the country, but can grow up here, establish families, live in peace and democracy.
A number of opposition parties were represented at the demonstration, among them Gergely Karácsony, the former prime ministerial candidate of the Socialist-Parbeszed alliance, Együtt leader Péter Juhász, LMP co-leaders Bernadett Szél and Ákos Hadhazy, Jobbik leader Gábor Vona and Democratic Coalition leader Ferenc Gyurcsány. Former prime minister Gordon Bajnai was also present.
The demonstrators said they would continue to protest to see their demands met.
Demonstrations were organised in Győr, in northwest Hungary, as well as in London and Berlin to coincide with the one in Budapest. There were around 150 demonstrators in Győr. About 300 people participated in the demonstration in London, near Downing Street. Some 120 people protested in front of the Hungarian embassy in Berlin.
Disappointed with election results, demonstrators protest in Budapest, photo: MTIPhoto: MTI
The satirical Two-Tailed Dog Party on Thursday held an alternative Peace March in Budapest, aping the official pro-government event. Marching from Oktogon in downtown Budapest, the party’s leader Gergely Kovács called for “the abolition of space relations” and “the censorship of freedom and the abolition of the press”.
Thousands of participants, many in costume, were accompanied by a police escort through central areas of the capital.
Signs such as “The stadium builders are happy” were held up mocking the government and its politicians. Referring to the prime minister, the crowd chanted “Viktor the King”.
Mocking the government’s attack on UN migration policy, they also announced that they would send a declaration of war to the United Nations.
Two-Tailed Dog Party holds alternative Peace March
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Supporters of the Diák Vagyok (I am a student) movement staged a demonstration in Budapest on Thursday, demanding changes to the education system and involvement in decision-making.
Olivér Országh, spokesman for the Independent Student Parliament, said in his speech that his organisation had for years submitted proposals to the government to make courses more up to date and offer skills making graduates competitive in Europe.
“But what we see is that thousands of teachers have changed careers and thousands of students have dropped out of the system; those that stay will leave unprepared,” he added.
A huge students demonstration for the better education – PHOTOS from BudapestA huge students demonstration for the better education – PHOTOS from BudapestA huge students demonstration for the better education – PHOTOS from BudapestA huge students demonstration for the better education – PHOTOS from Budapest
As we wrote few days ago, Eurostat’s latest data show that the number of graduates decreased in Hungary again in the last year. They examined how the percentage of the people having a degree changed in the age group 30 – 34. In fact, Hungary accepted that it would increase the graduates’ rate to at least 34%. Read more HERE.
American financier George Soros and his organisations would do anything in their power to topple governments opposing migration, Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s prime minister, told public media on Friday, referring to the current home policy crisis in Slovakia.
The prime minister said he sees the “fingerprints of Soros and his organisations” on the recent events in Slovakia, and has no doubt that “Soros’s network makes every possible effort to topple anti-immigration governments.”
Slovakia’s present government resists migration and refuses to turn its country into a land of immigrants, Orbán said, adding that Soros’s organisations have attacked and would continue to attack the prime ministers of such governments “ruthlessly”.
The crisis started with the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his girlfriend on February 25. Authorities say the murder was motivated by Kuciak’s work to uncover the Italian mafia’s connections in Slovakia. All top officials have condemned the act and pledged to conduct a full investigation.
Over the past few years Hungary and Slovakia have built strategic relations “advantageous to both countries’ citizens,” Orbán said. “We want to continue with that. Therefore, we need a stable Slovakia,” he said.
Budapest is known for its expensive taxi cab services — in fact, travelling by taxi in the capital is the most costly in the region. Five years ago, charge prices approved by public authorities were introduced for taxi drivers. This measurement was meant to eliminate frauds among the drivers. Unfortunately, it backfired: there is still a considerable number of cheaters, while customers have to pay more than the market price. Taxi drivers want the latter one to be increased, according to NLCafé.
The fares of taxi drivers in Budapest are high not just compared to the other parts of the region, but within Europe, too. In fact, they have the third largest salary on the continent. Despite these facts, taxi organisations are planning to raise the basic fare from 1.44 euros to 2.24, the price per kilometre from 0.90 euros to 0.96 and the price of waiting from 0.24 euros per minute to 0.26. These changes would mean that an average trip would cost one-tenth more than before.
The representatives of taxi drivers claim that these raises are justified by the increase of expenses.
They state that this profession became much more expensive due to the higher insurance fees and the online cash registers. President of National Taxi Association (OTSZ) Zoltán Metál claimed that the demand for passenger transport increased so much that it forces taxi drivers to improve their services.
Index investigated taxi fares in the region and found that only Prague ranks higher in this field.
In Bratislava and Ljubljana, however, the prices are much lower. If we compare fares to wages, the result is similar: Budapest has the third most expensive cabs after Belgrade and Tirana.
The issue of the increase gathered the different taxi companies under one banner. However, there are different views concerning the most essential part of taxi services: the airport trips. Taxi drivers promised to create a blockade around Liszt Ferenc Airport in two weeks unless they are provided permission to wait in front of Terminal 2 for more than five minutes. This would prevent many complications for them.
If their demands will not be fulfilled within two weeks, taxi drivers will protest: they threaten with circling in extremely low speed on the expressway at Ferihegy and blocking the roads to Liszt Ferenc Airport’s Terminal 2.
As Eduline.hu reports, LMP presents to the Parliament the 12 points of the Független Diákparlament (Independent Student Parliament), as the party announced on Monday.
Two weeks ago thousands participated in the demonstration for a fairer, more democratic and more student-centred educational system which is modern and does not overtask the pupils. Students summarised their demands in 12 points, for which, as it was said on the demonstration, they expect a guarantee in the form of a provision of law from the government until the 31st of January. In case this does not happen, they continue with the demonstrations.
Their expectations include
the annulment of “zero hour” (lessons before 8 am)
the school year must not be longer
students younger than 18 must not be outplaced from education
the restitution of quota in higher education to the 2011 numbers
the establishment of a system for evaluating teachers the results of which would be public
freedom of speech at school, no one should be banned from expressing their opinion
the maximum number of lessons to be reduced to 25 lessons per week in elementary schools and 30 in secondary schools
the abolition of compulsory vocational final exams
In their announcement, LMP states that they are presenting for acceptance a proposal of a resolution,
by accepting which the Parliament declares to start the adjustment of the educational system in accordance with the 12 points.
They also added that they agree with the students’ demands. “We believe that if a group of students organises themselves and calls the government to account, then the Parliament has to deal with the proposals. This would be an obvious process in a democracy which functions normally.”
Magyaridok.hu also elaborates on the problem of the overtasking of children, why there are lessons before 8 a.m. and all afternoon, and whom they could consult with these problems.
The ministry told them that modifications made to the curriculum made the increase of pedagogical autonomy and the decrease of students’ overtasking possible from the school year of 2017/2018.
Teachers now have the right to adapt to the skills and studying pace of their learner groups, granting the success of the acquisition of the material. They emphasised that teachers can diverge from the compulsory number of teachers’ weekly hours assigned to thematic units of the curriculum. At most 20-30% of topics of a unit can be differentiated or left out.
The Ministry informs in connection with the “zero hour” lessons that they can be started 45 minutes before 8 a.m. at earliest, and the public educational institute can decide whether they want to hold it.
Regarding the number of lessons, the maximum numbers are determined by law:
from first to third class, no more than six lessons can be held a day,
from fourth to eight, it can increase to seven lessons. Eight lessons can only be held in ninth-twelfth grades, but it is up to the institute to decide whether they take the opportunity.
The teacher protest movement Tanítanék held a demonstration in front of Parliament on Sunday, demanding greater freedom from central government control in schools.
One of the movement’s representatives told a crowd of over one thousand gathered in Kossuth Square that all the major liberal and leftist opposition parties were expected to sign a document outlining Tanítanék’s demands, such as that students should “feel good” about studying.
Another representative of the movement, Olivér Pilz, said that
education in Hungary should be free of discrimination and segregation and the size of the curriculum should be radically reduced.
The focus should fall on skills rather than lexical knowledge and the administrative burden on teachers should likewise shrink. Further, spending on education should be gradually raised to 6 percent of GDP, he added.
Also attending the demo were the heads of three teacher unions and several opposition leaders.
As we wrote 9 days ago, thousands of students have gathered yesterday to the front of the Parliament, to Kossuth tér, as to protest for a fairer education system. If the demands of the students’ are not met by the end of January, there will be further protests. Read more HERE.
Thousands of students have gathered yesterday to the front of the Parliament, to Kossuth tér, as to protest for a fairer education system. According to online daily Heti Világgazdaság’s report, if the demands of the students’ are not met by the end of January, there will be further protests.
According to reports from the scene, thousands have gathered in Budapest yesterday afternoon, at the corner of Kossuth square and Alkotmány street. The protest was advertised with a Facebook event too, to which 14 thousand people responded with ‘Going’, although not all of them showed up.
The protest was organised by students, but all ages were invited and welcomed who agreed with them. Students and parents stood in support of students’ rights.
They wish to stand in protest of the injustice of the education system, standing up for a ‘fairer, much modern, student-focused education system, where students will not become exhausted zombies’.
The students arrived prepared with a 12-point issue. The organisers were giving out angry Facebook stickers, and it was announced that only the ‘Mit kiván a magyar diákság’ (What do the Hungarian students want) fliers should be accepted, as the rest are illegal.
According to the brain behind the movement, András Bognár, the current system turns students into anxious adults and the lawmakers should involve students when deciding upon their ‘fates’.
A student from Győr, Daniella Tóth, gave a speech about the restriction of the freedom of speech and drew attention to the latest news that employees of universities are not allowed to give comments without permissions. The student debt is too high, ‘but if I give birth to 3 children, then I’m free to go, thanks a lot!’, said Daniella.
Another student, Laura Tóth, complained about exhaustion and being ‘overworked’, particularly referring to the tiredness students feel after the 8th or 9th period. It could happen that a pupil has 7 periods a day in first grade, she reminded the audience, to which they responded with ‘disgusting’. Students have to study a lot and there is a lot of irrelevant material.
The protesters were also angry about the fact that ecclesiastical schools get 2.8 times more financial aid than their state counterparts.
As to avoid accusations arising that the protest might have had anything to do with George Soros or Lajos Simicska, the organisers stated that the protest was realised from charity.
Among the demands of the students’, we find the limitation on the number of periods per week, the elimination of the 0th period, and compulsory education until the age of 18. They also want the government to initiate negotiations with the student body within a fortnight.
The opposition Jobbik party held a demonstration on Friday evening to protest against what it called “the evolving dictatorial regime” of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the State Audit Office’s (ÁSZ) recent effort “to sideline the party”.
The torch-lit demonstration was held at the headquarters of ruling Fidesz near Heroes Square and attended by 1,000 to 1,500 protesters.
Addressing the event, Jobbik leader Gábor Vona greeted the representatives of civil groups and other parties including Péter Juhász, leader of opposition Együtt, and András Fekete-Győr, leader of the Momentum party founded this year.
Vona said that although the protesters held different views about the world, they were bound together “by the love of freedom”.
Gábor Vona, photo: MTI
The Jobbik leader said “it is not by accident that Viktor Orbán always pretends to be a freedom fighter while in reality he is stealing our freedom as a petty and coward thief”.
“But we will not be a servant to either the Turks, the Germans, the Russians or Viktor Orbán,” Vona said.
He said that under Orbán’s regime “taxpayers’ money has ceased to be public money, the media has lost its freedom, civil groups have lost their independence and now Jobbik, the strongest opposition party, is about to be liquidated”, making reference to an ÁSZ investigation.
ÁSZ has accused Jobbik of having accepted over 330 million forints (over EUR 1m) in illegal financing and the party is facing a fine by the watchdog.
Vona said that the motivation behind levying a fine which he earlier said was around 660 million forints was “to sentence democracy to death”.
The Jobbik leader accused the prime minister of being interested in nothing else but “power and soccer”.
Due to the stormy wind, heavy rain and the bad weather in general, that paralyze Europe, this year less people attended the Transylvania/Erdély-wide demonstrations on Sunday for Szekler territorial autonomy called for the Szekler/Székely National Council.
In Sepsiszentgyörgy demonstrators gathered at the Turul Monument where they formed the map of Szeklerland from torches.
The head of the Szekler National Council Balázs Izsák read the protest manifesto in the presence of a Catalan flag.
He said a tectonic shift has been taking place in European politics. More and more regions or national communities expressing their desire for self-determination. Whether it is independence or autonomy the international community must review the rigid and obsolete interpretation of the right to self-determination, which currently, only applies to states.
In the name of protesters Izsák once again reiterated the need for territorial autonomy for Szeklerland.
Sepsiszentgyörgy – Szeklerland, photo: MTI
Demonstrators expressed their dissatisfaction with the Romania‘s government’s refusal to engage in dialogue on the autonomy of Szeklerland with the Székely people; in the meantime, they pledged allegiance to Szeklerland including to the the 149 local governments – these issues will be more transparent after the planned referendum.
Zoltán Gazda, President of the Szekler Council of Sepsiszék, emphasized the need for dialogue noting that while the Italian government was ready to negotiate with Veneto and Lombardy provinces for greater autonomy the Spanish government refused to do so regarding the Catalan people.
This could be a lesson for the Romanian government that refused to engage in dialogue with the Szekler community, which can lead to an overflow of emotions.
At end of the event, Unitarian Pastor István Kovács stated that even if the stormy wind blew out the flames of the torches, nothing can extinguish the flame of freedom from the Szekler people’s hearts.
The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday condemned Hungary for banning a demonstration back in 2010, which the court sees as violation of the right to free assembly as defined in the European Charter of Human Rights.
The demonstration had been called for April 17, 2010, in front of a prison in Budapest, where right-wing activist György Budaházy and others were held, seen by the organisers as political prisoners.
The police, however, banned the demonstration, saying that it would block traffic and no alternative route was available in the area.
The Strasbourg court said that the Hungarian authorities had “disproportionately interfered” with organiser Zoltán Kortvélyessy’s right to freedom of assembly, and ruled that
the Hungarian state should pay him 1,000 euros to cover legal fees.
