demonstration

Municipal court fines protesters throwing paint at Soviet monument

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, April 18 (MTI) – The municipal court of Budapest has found two men, who recently threw balloons containing orange paint at a Soviet monument in the city centre, guilty of rowdy behaviour and fined them 30,000 forints each (EUR 96).

During the trial on Tuesday, the defendants said their act had been a way of expressing a political opinion. They also said they had not aimed at causing any damage and used water-soluble paint.

In its justification, the court said the two men had “openly violated rules social co-existence and exhibited a provocatively anti-social behaviour, which was suitable to scandalise onlookers”.

Last Thursday, a Budapest court sentenced two activists in a combined 500 hours of community work for throwing paint cans at the presidential Sandor Palace during a demonstration earlier in the week.

Electoral movement launched in anti-govt demo

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, April 16 (MTI) – Civil activist Márton Gulyás initiated an electoral movement in a Budapest demonstration late on Saturday, demanding the introduction of an electoral system based on proportional representation by the end of 2017 at the latest.

Gulyás, who was sentenced to 300 hours of community work earlier this week for throwing paint at the presidential palace in protest against the higher education law, said that Hungary needed a parliament which truly reflects the social forces of the country.

As long as the electoral system and the current power-holders remain in place, parliament “will be excellent as a theatre but horrible as an institution of popular representation,” he said.

The demonstration was organised by a Facebook group against government policies. The protesters calling themselves “We won’t remain silent” gathered in Szabadsag Square in the central fifth district.

The square was full and the crowd was dotted with both Hungarian and European Union flags.

Fidesz: Hungary not to change its migration policy

Budapest (MTI) – However great international pressure on Hungary is, the government has no intention of changing its policy on migration either in the face of attacks or protests by civil organisations supported by US financier George Soros, the ruling Fidesz party has said.

Fidesz spokesman Balázs Hidvéghi told a news conference on Saturday that protests taking place on Hungary’s southern border at Röszke demonstrated “crystal clear” that “the organisations backed by George Soros want Hungary to change its migration policy and allow … masses of migrants into Hungary.”

Fidesz and the government are insistent on protecting the country’s national sovereignty, he said. “We won’t allow outside pressure. We will protect Hungary and the security of the Hungarian people,” the spokesman said.

Hidvéghi said actions such as today’s demonstration in Röszke aim to send the message to migrants that that they should not hesitate to break Hungarian law and enter the country illegally.

The spokesman said the series of demonstrations and “disinformation and accusations” by Soros-funded organisations are all part of the pressure placed on Hungary’s migration policy. He insisted that these organisations mount legal attacks on the Hungarian police or and the “legal border seal” with unfounded accusation and “spread lies” through civil organisations.

Answering a question concerning amending the election system, Hidveghi said that under the current law Fidesz can be beaten in the election. This is possible for anyone who wins more votes in constituencies and on party lists, he said, adding that lack of political support can be a problem but it cannot be solved by constantly looking for faults in the election system. He also said that the Venice Commission had also examined Hungary’s election law and found everything in order.

Commenting on the suggestion that former president László Sólyom said the law affecting the Central European University went against the constitution, he said Fidesz lawmakers had examined the issue of constitutionality before submitting the bill and they found it constitutional, adding that President János Áder also found it constitutional and issued a statement confirming that.

Photo: MTI

Anti-govt demo under way in Budapest

Budapest, April 15 (MTI) – A demonstration organised by a Facebook group against government policies got under way in central Budapest on Saturday.

The protesters calling themselves “We won’t remain silent” gathered in Szabadság Square in the fifth district to hear speeches.

One speaker, Áron Lukács, declared their protest against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “politics of fear” and government attempts to silence critical voices and organisations.

The square was full and the crowd was dotted with both Hungarian and European Union flags.

Photo: MTI

Photo: MTI

Over 80 people held a protest in Röszke

Budapest, April 15 (MTI) – More than eighty people held a protest in Röszke, on Hungary’s southern border, on Saturday afternoon. Referring to US financier George Soros, György Bakondi, the prime minister’s domestic security advisor, told MTI that the demonstrators were people from the “Soros-funded organisation”.

Bakondi said about 85 people, including Serbians, Italians, Germans, Spaniards, gathered in the main square of Röszke, many of them having been bused in.

“Around 70 percent of the protesters are foreigners,” he said.

The Hungarian participants included Péter Juhász, leader of the opposition Együtt party, Marton Gulyás, the activist sentenced to 300 hours of community work earlier this week for throwing paint at the presidential palace, and theatre director Arpad Schilling.

Bakondi said the demonstrators distributed leaflets with slogans such as “No need for the border”, “No need for prison”.

Photo: MTI

The aim of the demonstration is dismantle the border, eliminate the defences and allow everyone into the territory of the European Union without restriction,” Bakondi said, adding that demonstrators planned to walk to the border and the transit zone.

Bakondi said police would maintain the protection of the border under all circumstances.

Photo: MTI

CEU demonstration – Protesters throwing paint at presidential palace to face trial – UPDATE

Budapest, April 13 (MTI) – The prosecutor’s office has initiated expedited legal proceedings in connection with two activists who threw paint cans at the presidential Sándor Palace during a demonstration on Monday night.

The court handed down its verdict in expedited proceedings, finding the defendants guilty of rowdy behaviour and damaging the Sándor Palace at this past Monday’s demonstration.

Márton Gulyás, who had procured the paint cans, was sentenced to 300 hours of community work. The court annulled a probation sentence he had been given earlier by another court, also for rowdy behaviour.

Gergő Varga, the co-defendant, was sentenced to 200 hours of community work.

The prosecution had requested suspended prison sentences for the defendants. The defendants’ attorneys had asked the court to dismiss the charges, arguing that their offences did not qualify as crimes.

“The squirting paint smeared the registered monument as well as the bodies and clothing of police,” Tibor Ibolya, Budapest’s prosecutor, said in a statement earlier in the day. Two cans hit the wall and caused damage worth 23,000 forints (EUR 74) to the building, the statement added.

On Monday, participants in the spontaneous demonstration protested against President Janos Áder’s signing a contested higher education amendment seen by opponents as aimed against Budapest’s Central European University.

Photo: MTI

Civil groups stage protest against civil organisations bill in Heroes Square – PHOTOS – UPDATE

Budapest, April 12 (MTI) – A demonstration was held in Budapest’s Heroes Square on Wednesday afternoon in protest against a bill concerning civil organisations, which they view as stigmatising some of those groups.

The protest was organised by the Civilizacio group and supported by about 100 others including Amnesty International, the Eötvös Károly Institute, Greenpeace Hungary, Hatter, the Kretakor Foundation, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Ökotars, Transparency International, and TASZ.

According to the protesters, the bill, aimed at the registration of civil organisations using foreign donations, would curb the freedom of thought and hinder the operations of civil society.

Addressing the crowd, CEU student Luca László said that while “the government sees civil (activists) as foreign agents, they are actually the ones that stand up for a free and democratic Hungary”. The government’s bill, if passed into law, will stigmatise “those that unselfishly work for Hungarian people”.

Photo: MTI

TASZ managing director Stefánia Kapronczay said that the government “seeks to scrap” her organisation, which “works to ensure the freedoms that everyone is entitled to”. The government wants to “eliminate the free press because they (the government) cannot tolerate different opinions”.

Protesters held up signs reading “We are civilians, Hungarian, and free” as well as “I stand with CEU” in reference to Budapest’s Central European University, seen as impacted by a recent higher education law amendment.

The protesters held up a huge “CIVIL” sign in the square and formed a heart around it “to symbolise society’s support”. They filled up the square, the Dózsa György Road-Andrássy Avenue junction and a part of the avenue.

Photo: MTI
Photo: MTI
Photo: MTI

After the demonstration, some of the protesters moved towards Oktogon and from there to Nyugati railway station. From there, the protesters marched along Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road to Deak Square.

Others headed from Heroes’ Square to ruling Fidesz’s headquarters which was blocked off by police. The protesters threw paper planes at the police and there were instances of shoving between them. Some protesters then set fire to national consultation questionnaires. The protesters eventually left the scene.

Later in the evening, the protesters headed to Parliament where they chanted anti-government slogans. Shortly before 11pm, they returned to Oktogon where they continued protesting, “set up camp”, blocking traffic, MTI’s on-site correspondent reported.

Demonstrations were also held in Miskolc where some 200 people took to the streets in support of CEU.

Demonstrators also gathered in Szeged demanding autonomy for universities, academic freedom and the withdrawal of the recently-passed amendments to the higher education law.

Photo: MTI

CEU says disagrees with higher education law, plans immediate legal action

Budapest, April 10 (MTI) – The Central European University said in a statement after the president signed amendments to higher education into law late on Monday that it firmly opposed the decision to sign the legislation and vowed to take immediate legal action.

Approval of the law was not preceded by any kind of consultation with the CEU of Hungarian professional organisations affected by it, the university funded by US financier George Soros said in a statement. The passing of the law violates essential elements of legislative procedures adopted by democratic states, it added.

The CEU said that, in its opinion, the law opposed an American institution in a discriminative manner.

At the same time, the statement said that the university was ready to negotiate with the Hungarian government.

 

The CEU’s rector and president, Michael Ignatieff, said, “As I indicated earlier, the CEU is ready to negotiate with the Hungarian government in order to find a solution which allows the CEU to remain in Budapest, where it has operated for the past 25 years.”

“Academic freedoms, however, are not negotiable…” the statement said.

After Áder signed the law, protesters gathered outside the presidential seat, Sándor Palace, and at the headquarters of Hungarian public radio late in the evening amid a substantial police presence.

Photo: MTI

What the international press wrote about the protest in support of CEU

According to estimations, around 70-80 thousand people protested against the government’s bill proposing tighter rules for foreign-registered universities, which is targeted at the Central European University (CEU). The news went around the world, several illustrious papers reported on the protest.

Most articles and titles mention György Soros, the Hungarian-born American financer, who’s been supporting NGOs and CEU. He plays a key role in the current happenings, as the government stands against him and attacks organisations funded by him.

Reuters: Massive protest in Hungary against bill that could oust Soros university

According to the report of Reuters, this was one of the biggest protests against the government in the last seven years, where people demonstrated against the closing of one of the best international universities. “The Hungarian premier has often vilified Soros, whose ideals are squarely at odds with Orban’s view that European culture is under an existential threat from migration and multiculturalism.”

Bloomberg: Hungarians stage mass protest over university targeted by Orbán

“Orbán has ignored earlier street protests and criticism from the opposition and a number of Hungary’s European Union and NATO allies, over the law. While the government denies the legislation is targeted at CEU, Orbán regularly blames Hungarian-born Soros, who also funds organizations that seek to promote human rights and government transparency, for trying to undermine him.”

BBC: Large protest in support of Hungary’s Soros-backed university

“Unlike last Sunday’s protest, it was not just students who were out in the street – there were also lots of families, with some middle-aged and some elderly people in the crowd.”

Washington Post: Hungary – Thousands rally in support of Soros-founded school

“Don’t sign it, Jani,” the crowd chanted, using a Hungarian nickname for Áder’s first name. Other chants included “A free country, a free university,” ‘’Orbán get out,” ‘’Viktator!” and “Europe, Europe.”

The Times: 80,000 on march to save Soros university

“The biggest anti-government protest in three years took place in Hungary yesterday against legislation seen as aiming to force the respected Central European University to close or move out of the country.”

The Guardian: Thousands protest in Hungary over threat to Soros university

“The government wants to silence pretty much everyone who doesn’t think the same as them, who thinks freely, who can be liberal, can be leftist,” said Kornel Klopfstein, a protest organiser and PhD student at the University of Bielefeld.

The New York Times: Hungarians protest their leader by the tens of thousands

“What do we want Áder to do? Veto!” the crowd chanted. “Free country, free university!”

Yahoo: ‘Fake news’ another weapon in Orbán’s illiberal Hungary

This article is not necessarily centred around the protest, but gives an insight into the close relationship between the Hungarian government and certain media platforms.

Photo: MTI

Ce: bm

Tens of thousands protest higher education act amendments in Budapest – PHOTOS – UPDATE

Budapest, April 9 (MTI) – Demonstrators protested in central Budapest on Sunday recent amendments to the higher education act they say makes the operation of the Central European University (CEU) impossible.

The demonstrators demanded that President János Áder sends the legislation to parliament or the Constitutional Court for review.

The crowd filled the western embankment of the river Danube between the Chain Bridge and Erzsébet Bridge.

The demonstrators held up the national colours or banners of the EU; others carried signs that said “Let’s stop Viktor Orbán” or wore badges with the inscription “I stand with CEU”.

Tens of thousands protest higher education act amendments in Budapest, photo: MTI
Tens of thousands protest higher education act amendments in Budapest, photo: MTI
Tens of thousands protest higher education act amendments in Budapest, photo: MTI

Reaction – Ruling Fidesz

Meanwhile, Szilárd Németh, deputy head of ruling Fidesz, said that the demo was organised by “agencies financed by (billionaire George) Soros” in retaliation for Fidesz’s submission of a bill concerning the transparency of organisations that receive funding from abroad. He also insisted that those “agencies” aimed to “undermine Hungary’s border protection and force the country to provide free entry to illegal immigrants”.

Tens of thousands protest higher education act amendments in Budapest, photo: MTI
Tens of thousands protest higher education act amendments in Budapest, photo: MTI
Tens of thousands protest higher education act amendments in Budapest, photo: MTI
Photo: MTI

UPDATE

The protesters walked across the Chain Bridge to parliament on the Pest side. When the first protestors arrived in Kossuth Square, in front of parliament, the last ones were still leaving the starting point of the demonstration on the western embankment. The protestors completely filled Kossuth Square.

In the square, the CEU student Gábor Bródy said that making it impossible for the university to continue its operations would undermine Hungary’s reputation “in the interest of achieving dubious political goals”.

Greenpeace activist Katalin Rodics protested in a speech planned amendments to rules on civil organisations. She said they would stigmatise civil organisations that receive foreign support.

The demonstration, which was organised by a group called For the Freedom of Education, officially wound up after 7pm, but several thousand people remained in the square in front of parliament afterward. Some behaved aggressively toward police and a crew from public television news channel M1.

The demonstrators sang the national anthem together and held up the glowing screens of their mobile phones.

Many of the protestors who stayed stood in the area in front of the stairs to parliament. There were several instances of shoving between the demonstrators and the police standing in front of the stairs.

Some of the protestors threw bottles at the police.

At around 9pm, several thousand protesters left Kossuth Square and went to the human resources ministry, in nearby Szalay Street. They chanted “free country, free university” and “we have had enough!”. They continued to the Nagykörút ring road, blocking traffic, and headed for the headquarters of governing Fidesz in Lendvay Street, near Heroes Square.

Photo: MTI
Photo: MTI

Photo: MTI

Budapest police chief bans obstruction of bridges – UPDATE

budapest chain bridge

Budapest, April 5 (MTI) – Budapest’s police chief has banned demonstrators from blocking the city’s bridges, according to a statement on the city police’s website police.hu.

In a final ruling citing the law on the right of assembly, Budapest police chief Gábor Bucsek said that such a demonstration would obstruct traffic between the two sides of the city and would therefore breach the rights of the citizens.

A private individual requested the right to block all Budapest bridges from Wednesday morning till Thursday 1pm, the statement said.

Amid a substantial police presence and media attention, a few demonstrators gathered at 8am on Wednesday morning at the Pest end of the Szabadság bridge. The bridge was not closed down.

A dozen activists blocked half of Erzsébet Bridge for a short time shortly after noon in protest against a law passed on Tuesday which is expected to adversely affect the Central European University. They sat in the middle of the bridge and blocked traffic from the direction of Pest to Buda. The Budapest police said on its website that the activists were escorted off the road just before 12:30pm. No one was injured in the incident. Police will submit reports against five persons for violating regulations.

Demonstrators form human chain at CEU to protest against higher education restrictions – PHOTOS – UPDATE

Budapest, April 4 (MTI) – A crowd gathered at Budapest’s Central European University on Tuesday afternoon to form a symbolic human chain in protest against amendments passed into law earlier in the day, seen as changes aimed at the university’s closure.

Many participants wore “I stand with CEU” buttons, while speakers demanded that President János Áder should reject signing the contested legislation.

The protesters held hands and stood around the block including the CEU campus.

A speakers told the demonstrators that some 30,000 people had signed a petition in support of CEU but lawmakers neglected this which shows that they do not represent the people. Decisions made without the involvement of those affected are antidemocratic, the speakers said.

A first-year CEU student, Luca Laszlo, said it was “outrageous” that within a span of two days, the operation of an international university had been made impossible.

Other speakers also said that parliament’s decision was not only about CEU but about the present and future of constitutionality and the decision would cause serious damage to Hungary and Hungarian society. They also said that a national consultation should be held about how “to stop (Prime Minister Viktor) Orban”.

The organisers said the live chain included more people than Sunday’s demonstration which attracted around 10,000 people according to the organisers’ estimates.

After the demonstration officially ended at CEU, a part of the crowd moved to the square in front of parliament where they were joined by protesters who had been camping there for some time demonstrating about a different issue. They all criticised the government and said the parliamentary decision on CEU was “treason”.

 

 

Photo gallery

Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: MTI
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU
Demonstrators form human chain at CEU, photo: CEU

UPDATE

The names of lawmakers who voted in support of the amendment was read out and the demonstrators tried to post a Hungarian and EU flag on the parliament building but police prevented this.

Socialist lawmaker Ágnes Kunhalmi appeared in a window of the parliament building and she hung an EU flag from there.

Photo: MTI

Photo: MTI

Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister proposes expedited procedure for higher education bill

Budapest, April 3 (MTI) – Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén has submitted a proposal aimed at speeding up the procedure concerning the higher education bill now before parliament, requesting that parliament discusses and votes on the bill first thing on Tuesday instead of Wednesday as originally proposed.

In an expedited procedure, parliament could vote on and accept the bill on the same day. An expedited procedure proposal is accepted with a simple majority.

A faster procedure in necessitated by “government interests”, Semjén said.

The bill submitted by the government stipulates that foreign universities would only be allowed to award degrees in Hungary if they also operate campuses in their countries of origin and if there is an inter-state agreement on the university’s activities in Hungary.

 

The proposed bill sparked protests from notable scientists worldwide and a demonstration of students and teachers in Budapest on Sunday.

On Monday, a hundred ethnic Hungarian scientists and researchers in Romania signed an open letter to human resources minister Zoltán Balog, asking him to withdraw the bill, saying that the CEU “is an important centre of international scientific life”.

On Monday evening, parliament’s legislative committee modified the text of the bill.

Accordingly, if the headquarters of a university is located in a federal state where the recognition of the mandatory effect of international agreements does not fall in the federal government’s scope, the international agreement required for awarding degrees should be based on a preliminary accord concluded with the federal government.

Photo: MTI

Huge demonstration for CEU held in Budapest – PHOTOS – UPDATE

A demonstration was held in Budapest on Sunday afternoon to protest against a government bill affecting the Central European University (CEU).

The demonstrators gathered at Corvinus University to move under a sign showing “Freedom for Education” in Hungarian and also in English to the CEU headquarters in Nádor street and later to Kossuth Square in front of Parliament.

Addressing the crowd, Corvinus University professor Dániel Deák called it unacceptable that “political tyranny puts the future of our children at stake”.

The bill stipulates that no foreign higher education institution is allowed to operate and award degrees in Hungary without a relevant inter-state agreement in place.

 

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CEU said earlier that the bill was discriminative and its rector announced that the university would not be closed down.

The organisers, a group dubbed Freedom for Education, said in their invitation that the purpose of the demonstration is to express support for the autonomy of education. They said the bill submitted on Tuesday would make “the operation of one of Hungary’s best universities” impossible. The amendment proposal is an “attack against the freedom of education and the autonomy of universities” which will have long-term consequences on Hungarian society. The “removal” of CEU is only the beginning, they added.

Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI
Demonstration for CEU held in Budapest, photo: MTI

Gáspár Békés, of the Independent Student Parliament, told the crowd at the CEU headquarters that the planned amendment was actually a “determined attack against one of the best Hungarian universities”, top-quality education, freedom of science and democracy.

Katalin Törley of the teachers’ movement Tanitanek said at parliament that the government destroys the future of Hungary and its youth by corrupting education. They either withhold human and financial resources or destroy the legal and institutional environment, she said. The main responsibility for this crisis lies with Human Resources Minister Zoltán Balog and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, she said.

Fidesz: Only one foreign university complies fully with Hungarian legislation

The only foreign university in Hungary fully complying with Hungarian legislation is McDaniel College, ruling Fidesz group leader Lajos Kósa told public radio on Monday, citing the regular 5-year review of universities by the human resources ministry’s Education Office.

Such “mass breaches” of law might point to insufficient legislation, Kósa said.

Speaking about green opposition LMP’s suggestion of a compulsory register for lobbyists and mandatory reporting of lobby activities, Kósa called the proposal “non-viable and probably non-enforceable”.

 

Photo: MTI

Budapest transport company workers call multi-day strike

Budapest, March 31 (MTI) – Two unions of Budapest transport company BKV have announced a multi-day strike for the second half of April. The strike will affect all branches of public transport.

The VTDSZSZ and BKSZSZ unions, which represent a combined 80 percent of BKV workers, announced on Friday that they would hold a three-day strike between April 18 and 20 and a five-day strike between April 24 and 28.

The unions called the strike after collective bargaining talks with BKV had failed to yield any progress on the question of wages increases. The unions said they had only sought a total 30 percent pay increase for workers over the last three years.

 

Photo: MTI

Civil groups protest against “threat” by government

Daily News Hungary

Budapest (MTI) – Fully 157 civil groups issued a joint statement protesting the Hungarian government’s recent “threat” against civil society, on Tuesday.

Signatories to the statement referred to ruling Fidesz’s bill concerning organisations “assisted from abroad” and also quoted government politicians raising the opportunity of “clearing out” some civil groups or referring to them as “foreign agents”.

In their statement, the civil groups called it unacceptable that they are not consulted before such a motion is submitted to parliament and that some politicians aim to “defame and divide” civil organisations.

“Hungary needs civil organisations”, said the statement, signed by, among others, Atlatszo, the Eotvos Karoly Institute, Greenpeace Hungary, K-Monitor, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Okotars, TASZ and Transparency International.

Scandal in Spain! Hungarian memorial in Madrid vandalised

Madrid, March 16 (MTI) – A memorial dedicated to heroes of Hungary’s 1956 revolution and freedom fight has been vandalised, Hungary’s ambassador to Spain reported.

Enikő Győri on Wednesday expressed deep shock over the “politically motivated defacing” of the memorial, which was inaugurated five months ago.

“The embassy firmly condemns the vandal act based on a falsification of historical facts and committed under a political guise,” she said.

The embassy will seek to restore the memorial as soon as possible, the ambassador said.

The far-left Yesca Libre Catilla group said on its website that the act had been committed by its members in the early hours of Wednesday. They smeared the plaque and the statue with red paint and wrote on its pedestal: “We are fed up with the lies of the capital”.

 

The group said 1956 events in Hungary were “misinterpreted as a revolution” by what it called the “winners’ narrative”, portraying socialism as punishment and democracy as redemption for eastern Europe. “We do not want to see neoliberal propaganda in our streets,” their entry said, criticising the city’s left-wing leaders.

The incident was condemned by the ruling conservative People’s Party (PP).