Együtt

Fidesz confident of 2/3rds support for constitutional amendments – Update

Budapest, January 22 (MTI) – It appears the two-thirds parliamentary majority needed to pass a constitutional amendment that creates the conditions to handle a terrorist threat will prevail, Gergely Gulyas, the head of parliament’s legislative committee, has said in a newspaper interview.

The government has proposed amending the constitution to include a “state of terrorist threat” among instances that mandate the domestic deployment of the armed forces.

Ruling Fidesz and its allied Christian Democrats need the support of opposition lawmakers to pass the amendment, Gulyas told Friday’s issue of the daily Magyar Idok.

He also insisted that the two-thirds support needed to elect a new president and four new judges to the constitutional court will materialise thanks to government efforts to reach out to the opposition.

“Neither the functioning of the constitutional system nor the protection of Hungary’s citizens can be a subject for debate,” said Gulyas, who is a Fidesz deputy chairman.

It is far from the case that the governing alliance wants to seize “full powers” through the constitutional amendment, he said, noting that the package of proposals, which include amendments to the defence and national security laws, are in response to a crisis, and aim to protect the country and its citizens. The timetable is for the package to be submitted by Feb. 9 so a debate can be held in parliament’s first session on Feb. 15, he added.

Under the amendment the government could declare a state of terrorist threat after a terrorist attack or during a period of a high threat of terrorism. In such an instance, the government would be authorised to pass decrees that would suspend or deviate from certain laws while leaving the provisions of the constitution intact. These decrees would remain effective for 60-day periods and would expire if parliament does not renew them before the 60 days are up.

Jobbik

Jobbik will only support the constitutional amendment on condition that all of the party’s proposals are accepted by the government and will be incorporated, a party spokesman told a press conference. Jobbik agrees with the main thrust of the legislation but rejects the possibility of enforcing regulations on an ad-hoc basis, Adam Mirkoczki told a press conference. A state of terrorism threat should be declared only with the approval of four-fifth of lawmakers, he said, adding that otherwise Fidesz may seek to seize “full powers” by exploiting public fear. Jobbik also proposes an extendable 30-day window, Mirkoczki said. The proposal to put commercial radio and TV in the government’s hands in the instance of a terrorist threat evokes the “darkest era of dictatorship,” he added.

Együtt

The opposition Egyutt party will not support the amendment which it sees as a tool used by ruling Fidesz for its own political campaign purposes, the leader of the party told a press conference. Hungary’s laws in place over the past 25 years fully cater to the protection of the country’s citizens, Viktor Szigetvari said.

Socialists

Concerning a related draft proposal by the Socialist Party, he said it was regrettable that Egyutt had only learned about it from media reports.

Fidesz

The ruling Fidesz accused the opposition on Friday of not supporting the effective fight against terrorism. Gulyas told a press conference that Jobbik’s proposal about the four-fifth parliamentary majority requirement was non-viable and senseless because it would make the fight against terrorism impossible. He said Fidesz was not against parliamentary control but “when information arrives about the possibility of a terrorist act within a few hours, then it would be the greatest irresponsibility to make the introduction of a state of terrorist threat dependent on parliament’s decision”.

“We have grown accustomed to left-wing parties’ irresponsible behaviour” but it is a new development that Jobbik’s position is close to the left-wing parties’, effectively preventing swift action against terrorism.

Gulyas said they remained open to further consultations “but we would like a solution and not senseless compromises”.

In response to a question, he said they were also open to consultations about shorterning the time period, from the current 60 days, during which the state of terrorist threat would be in force.

Photo: MTI

Opposition Egyutt raises criminal complaint over government anti-migrant campaign

Budapest, January 9 (MTI) – The opposition Egyutt party’s leader has filed a criminal complaint on the ground of incitement against a community committed before the general public.

Viktor Szigetvari said the slogan “The government says no to compulsory resettlement quota”, a hallmark of the government’s campaign, may constitute a crime.

In a statement on Saturday, Egyutt’s leader said the Fidesz-led government had drawn an equivalence between migrants arriving in the country and anyone who endangers the culture, way of life and traditions of Hungarian citizens. It claims that such people would not respect Hungarian laws or share the country’s values.

“These statements are clearly false generalisations and capable of inciting feelings of antipathy,” Szigetvari said.

The state secretary for government communications responded in a statement, saying that it would make better sense to file a criminal complaint against people who rape women rather than to defend migrants. Bence Tuzson said that Egyutt’s statement proves that the left wing is still on the side of the migrants.” If it were up to the left wing, several tens of thousands of migrants would settle in the country, he added.

People on the left in Hungary “are walking around with their eyes closed,” the statement said. “They haven’t noticed what happened in Cologne or in Helsinki. What happened there proves that migrants do not respect laws or the rights of women,” it added.

The ruling Fidesz party said in a statement that Szigetvari’s action shows that the Hungarian left wing is the party of migrants. Fidesz rejects the EU mandatory quotas and will continue its signature collection in support of its immigration policies aimed at protecting the country, it said. “The quota system is senseless, unjust and will intensify the terror threat while endangering the security of European people and their culture,” the statement added.

Could Fidesz MEP Tamas Deutsch use drugs?

According to hvg.hu, the court rejected the submission of Deutsch. Peter Juhasz did not injure the good reputation of the Fidesz MEP with the drug accusation.

On Monday, judgement was announced in the case of Tamas Deutsch, MEP of Fidesz. Deutsch sued Peter Juhasz, politician of Egyutt party in the 5th district because he claimed before the public in 2014 that Deutsch had consumed drugs.

Peter Juhasz stated this after an interview, in which the Fidesz politician denied having tried drugs at all, because – as Deutsch said – he saw an FRG (West German) film at the age of 9 about a young girl who used drugs and then felt dizzy and vomited. Deutsch told: since he was “sickly afraid” of vomiting, he never wanted to be in a situation like that. After that, Juhasz said: he was a witness of Deutsch consuming drugs, moreover, he has seen other Fidesz politicians consuming drugs as well.

444.hu wrote: the court rejected the submission of Deutsch, so Juhasz should not be afraid of any punishment, and according to the court, he did not injure the good reputation of Deutsch with the accusation.

Juhasz wrote on Facebook: a witness told the court that he smoked weed with Deutsch. “Four people wrote a statement, two of them could not appear in person today, but if the court summoned them, they would have come to say it personally. The court did not summon them, but delivered a judgement” – he wrote.

based on the article of hvg.hu

Photo: MTI

Copy editor: bm

Opposition to assess government members’ growth of wealth

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, December 6 (MTI) – The opposition Egyutt party will assess all government members’ growth of wealth in December, before amended rules enter into force affecting access to information on government members and their families, the party’s deputy leader said on Sunday.

The new rules to be introduced in January will require the approval of government members to the assessment of their growth of wealth and the calculations must be based on estimates only, Peter Juhasz told a press conference.

“We are curious to see whether Antal Rogan will approve an assessment of how he could afford a nearly 300 square metre property in Pasa park, an area where the price is above one million forints (EUR 3,200) per square metre and whether Peter Szijjarto will take us to his tailor where he bought a jacket for one million forints,” Juhasz said.

He described the scheme as “symbolic” and promised that Egyutt will thoroughly assess every person’s growth of wealth and the calculations will be based on factual information instead of estimates. The results will be used for political and not legal action, “to replace this corrupt and depraved gang of robbers”, he added.

The ruling Fidesz said in response that every government member’s declaration of wealth is publicly available. Juhasz, “who is immersed in drug issues and phantom companies”, should instead assess his own growth of wealth and his allies’, considering that the opposition is full of corruption cases, the statement added.

Egyutt calls on Orban to withdraw appeal against migrant quotas

Budapest (MTI) – The opposition Egyutt party on Saturday called on Prime Minister Viktor Orban to withdraw an appeal against the mandatory European Union migrant quotas submitted to the European Court of Justice.

Orban and his politics make Hungary drift to the east and set the country against its historical allies in the west, party leader Viktor Szigetvari said in an open letter.

As a result of Orban’s actions, Hungary’s position is not taken seriously in many important issues now, he added. Orban’s remarks about secret conspiracies boost Hungarians’ fears and prejudices in a situation when calmness would be most necessary, he said.

He called on Orban to “return to the EU negotiating table where the application of quotas is being discussed, accept the voluntary migrant quota for Hungary and create capacities for accepting 15,000 refugees for permanent stay.”

The ruling Fidesz said in response that the left wing still wants to let migrants into Hungary. If it were up to them, migrants would be flowing uncontrollably into Hungary against the will of the Hungarian people.

“Fidesz rejects migrant quotas because it would spread terrorism and threaten our culture,” the statement said.

Egyutt, DK slam Orban for EU-Turkey summit

Budapest, November 30 (MTI) – Prime Minister Viktor Orban enforced “his own misguided policies” instead of Hungary’s interests at Sunday’s European Union-Turkey summit, moving Hungary away from the EU, the opposition Egyutt party said.

The Democratic Coalition (DK) said Orban suffered a defeat at the summit and demonstrated again that the Hungarian government represented an obstacle to European security.

Egyutt said “it is insane for Hungary to pay 18 million euros in order to stay away from a joint European solution and for Orban to be able to stick his head in the sand.”

Orban told the summit that the 3 billion euros offered by the EU to help Turkey finance refugee services would cover a two-year period. He added that Hungary’s contribution of 18 million euros to the European effort was in proportion to the country’s GDP.

Egyutt continues to believe that a combination of strict policies on expulsion, a humane approach to caring for and integrating migrants, compulsory quotas and international development efforts should be used to cope with the challenges posed by migrants, the party’s statement added.

DK MEP Peter Niedermuller said Orban celebrated it as a victory that the summit’s “closing document approved on Sunday did not include the mandatory distribution of migrants among European Union countries.” According to Niedermuller, Orban is again bluffing or lying, because the document was in no way affecting a previous European Council decision about migrant quotas. Hungary is morally and legally obliged to receive around 2,000 migrants to arrive under this system, he added.

Photo: MTI

Opposition parties call for halting Paks project – UPDATE

paks-nuclear-hungary

Budapest, November 23 (MTI) – The green opposition LMP on Monday demanded that the government should stop all preparations for the expansion of the Paks nuclear power station until the related European Union procedures are concluded.

Fidesz said in a statement that Paks is the cheapest source of electricity for Hungary and “the nuclear power station’s development is unavoidable for the Hungarian public and industry to receive cheap electricity sustainably.” The lifespan of the currently operating blocks of the block will come to an end, and without the expansion, Hungary and the Hungarian people will become vulnerable which Fidesz said would lie “in the interest of Brussels and the Hungarian left”.

The green opposition LMP demanded that the government should stop all preparations for the expansion of the nuclear power station until the related European Union procedures are concluded.

LMP co-chair Bernadett Szel said that preparations cost hundreds of billions of forints and if the government fails to suspend them, LMP will consider filing a criminal report for budget fraud and damage caused by administrative authorities.

The European Commission announced earlier on Monday that an in-depth probe would be started to reveal whether the Paks project’s financing meets EU regulations, Szel said. She noted that last week the EC launched an infringement procedure against Hungary for violating EU public procurement rules in connection with the project. She added that the EC environmental protection directorate launched investigation concerning the classification of the related environmental information.

“That will be the third ‘red card’ to the Paks enlargement project,” she said.

Szel noted that this year’s state budget allocated 28 billion forints and next year’s one 113 billion forints for the project. The government should not risk taxpayers’ money for a project that might not materialise, she added.

The Democratic Coalition (DK) called for stopping the project, Egyutt urged all contracts signed so far to be made public and the PM party also called for the immediate suspension of spending.

DK deputy leader Csaba Molnar said the Paks project fails to meet EU regulations in three areas and two official procedures against it are already under way, with a third one, on the classification of environmental information, being prepared. He called on the government to “make do with two slaps in the face and not run into a third one”. The Paks expansion project will push future Hungarian generations into indebtedness, it is non-transparent, poses corruption risks and only serves the interests of ruling Fidesz and its Russian business partners, he said.

Egyutt demanded that no more money should be spent on Paks expansion and the government should make all contracts signed so far public. The resources that Hungary has allocated for the investment should be instead spent on green energy and energy-saving projects, a party statement added.

The opposition PM party said the government should immediately suspend preparatory works on the Paks expansion project because all future spending on it “will most probably be money wasted”.

Photo: MTI

Egyutt: Orban linking migration with terrorism ‘disgraceful’

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, November 16 (MTI) – It is “unacceptable and disgraceful” that Prime Minister Viktor Orban should make a connection in any way between the challenges of immigration and the Paris attacks, the opposition Egyutt party said on Monday.

Viktor Szigetvari, the party’s leader, said the prime minister had a chance to correct his previous anti-immigrant policies in order to support and not to sabotage joint European solutions. Szigetvari said the two lawmakers for Egyutt who sit as independents will vote against the proposal to oppose the EU quota system.

A stronger Europe is only possible if, in addition to mandatory quotas, a new policy on deportations and new Dublin rules are adopted, Szigetvari said, adding that meanwhile asylum-seekers should be treated as humans.

Egyutt calls on the government to withdraw the refugee laws enacted in September as they “contravene international laws in every way”. Szigetvari also said fence-building was the wrong way to go, while the party continues to support the fight against terrorism and the IS.

DK, Egyutt suspend signature drive on migrant quotas but maintain stance

Budapest, November 16 (MTI) – In light of the Paris terror attacks, Hungary’s opposition Democratic Coalition and Egyutt parties have suspended their signature campaign in support of the European Union’s migrant quota system.

Both parties, however, still maintain their policy that the EU system for distributing migrants in the bloc should go ahead.

DK’s spokesman told the Monday edition of daily Magyar Idok that the party was suspending its political activities in the country in the next few days.

Egyutt’s leader, Viktor Szigetvari, also told the paper that during the days of mourning for the victims of the Paris attacks, it would suspend party political activities. Egyutt maintains, however, its view that Hungary should accept 15,000 migrants as part of the quota system.

Photo: MTI

Paris attacks – Hungarian parties express solidarity

Budapest, November 14 (MTI) – Hungary’s political parties have strongly condemned Friday’s terror attacks and expressed solidarity with the French nation.

The grief and fear of Paris are shared by all Europeans today, the governing Fidesz party said in a statement, adding that the terror and the mass murders must not be left without consequences.

The co-ruling Christian Democrats said the bloody events clearly demonstrated the need of joint European action against terrorism.

The opposition Jobbik party said what they had feared for a long time has happened, and, besides feelings of shock and grief, Europe must rethink several things.

The Socialist Party said decision-makers must take immediate action regardless of their political and religious views to “stop the fanatics, the mad murderers”.

The Paris terror attacks are no longer France’s problem, head of green party LMP Andras Schiffer said, adding that a deeper European Union cooperation is necessary in the areas of internal security and anti-terrorist cooperation.

The Együtt party said not only Paris and the French people, but the whole of Europe has been attacked.

“We trust that the killers’ identity and motivation will soon be established and the international community will be able to give an appropriate response,” it said.

“Neither Islamic State nor any other terrorist organisation can discourage us from believing in peace and providing assistance to each other,” the opposition PM party said.

“It is almost impossible not to respond with hatred to hatred, but we should still try to remain humans,” former prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, head of the opposition DK party, said in a statement. He said that “November 13, 2015 will be Europe’s September 11, 2001; almost everything will change.”

The Hungarian Liberal Party said the Paris terrorists have attacked everyone who believes in freedom, democracy and the values of humanism.

Photos: MTI

Opposition Egyutt launches signature drive for EU migrant quotas

Budapest (MTI) – The opposition Egyutt party has launched a signature drive to gather support for the European Union’s mandatory migrant quota scheme, the party’s leader said on Tuesday.

Egyutt also wants stricter criteria for refugee support and more humane treatment of migrants, Viktor Szigetvari told a press conference.

Egyutt believes in a strong Europe and supports a common European solution for tackling the migration crisis, he said.

This is in contrast to ruling Fidesz, which is conducting a signature drive against the EU quota system, and the opposition Socialists, who have done a U-turn on their migration policy, he said.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban is steering Hungary onto a wrong path, because the border fence is both an unreasonable and inhumane structure which has only shifted the problem onto neighbouring Slovenia and Austria, Szigetvari added.

He welcomed a similar campaign by the leftist opposition Democratic Coalition to collect signatures in support of the quota system, adding that the two parties had not coordinated on their action in advance, however.

Fidesz said in response that “the whole Gyurcsany coalition” is now convened and even “Gordon Bajnai’s followers” have joined in to support the EU’s programme which would imply that Hungary should receive immigrants numbering as many as the inhabitants of a city the size of Szeged, within a short time. The governing party’s position on the other hand is that the country must be protected, Fidesz said in a statement. It therefore asks everyone who, unlike Hungary’s Left, does not accept the EU’s mandatory quota system, to support Fidesz’s own signature drive on this matter, the statement said.

The city of Szeged had 162,593 inhabitants on January 1, 2015.

Photo: MTI

Egyutt to look for new allies among civil organisations, says leader

Budapest, November 3 (MTI) – If opposition parties besides Egyutt do not like its moderate centrism, Egyutt will seek new allies among civil organisations, the party’s leader Viktor Szigetvari said on Tuesday.

Some in the opposition are “placing their men safely in government” ahead of the 2018 general election, Szigetvari said on Facebook, referring to colleagues of Istvan Hiller, a former Socialist culture minister, who now work for the heritage protection office.

The Egyutt leader criticised Democratic Coalition (DK) leader Ferenc Gyurcsany, who recently voiced support for the flat-rate tax.

Szigetvari also criticised the two bigger leftist opposition parties for doing everything to prevent a pre-election to select left-wing candidates.

A survey conducted by Nezopont in mid-October showed that Egyutt had 2 percent support among decided voters.

Photo: atv.hu

Egyutt calls for amending election rules for ethnic Hungarians

Budapest, November 1 (MTI) – The opposition Egyutt party has called for an amendment to the law pertaining to the voting rights of ethnic Hungarians without a permanent address in Hungary, saying that under the current law tens of thousands of election ballots sent out to voters in 2018 could become “untraceable”.

Earlier this week, the National Election Office (NVI) said that it would send letters to more than 200,000 Hungarians living beyond the border asking them to notify NVI of any change of address.

The party noted that under the election law, registrations of ethnic Hungarians are valid for ten years, allowing tens of thousands of people to vote in the 2018 election without having to register again, regardless of whether or not their addresses change over the four years.

Egyutt said that with the current law in place, tens of thousands of ballots will become untraceable, potentially leaving the door open for “mass voter fraud”. The party has called on the government to order NVI to suspend the updating of its database

The ruling Fidesz party responded saying that “the left would admit an unlimited number of migrants to Hungary, but it still doesn’t like Hungarians living beyond the border”. They said NVI wants to update its database to make sure that its list of addresses belonging to ethnic Hungarians is “up to date and accurate”.

Photo: MTI

DK dep leader demands Trocsanyi apology over alleged Roma radicalisation comments

Budapest (MTI) – The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has called on Justice Minister Laszlo Trocsanyi to apologise after comments he is reported as having made yesterday that the Roma might radicalise.

The Justice Ministry has denied Trocsanyi made the remarks attributed to him.

Addressing a conference on “criminal justice in response to radicalisation” in Brussels on Monday, the website euobserver.com cited Trocsanyi saying: “There is a risk that they [the Roma] would end up in Syria as foreign fighters joining jihadists or other radical groups”.

After discussing the European Union’s framework strategy on Roma integration, Trocsanyi is reported as saying that Europe’s population of some 10-12 million Roma are lagging behind, and it is important to close the social gap as they may become victims of radicalisation.

DK’s deputy leader, MEP Peter Niedermuller, told a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday that high-ranking EU officials had told him that Trocsanyi had “stirred a scandal” with his remarks.

“This kind of reasoning is not only plucked from thin air but is politically wrong and morally unacceptable,” Niedermuller said.

He said there is no sign of any kind of radicalisation among the Roma population. Roma are subjected to grave discrimination throughout Europe on labour markets, in education and health care, he said. “These people are victims,” he said, adding that Trocsanyi should be working to create legal equality and working against Roma segregation in education instead of stigmatising them.

The opposition Egyutt party called for Trocsanyi’s resignation over his remarks, while the Justice Ministry said in a statement that the website euobserver.com had “lied” and its report on Trocsanyi was “completely baseless”.

Photo: MTI (cover: Justice Minister Laszlo Trocsanyi)

The Left is splitting: a new party is born again

There is a swarm of micro-parties cannot be polled on the left, despite of this the party- founding spirit is unbroken, a new party is being born. Peter Konya, who left Egyutt for Szolidaritas party, now establishes a new party with some former Szolidaritas-members, index.hu wrote.

It is quite fashionable on the left to establish parties after the 2010 defeat of the Socialist Party (MSZP). Then it ended by that in 2014, the whole left-wing company teamed up and was beaten by Fidesz.

According to index.hu, Szolidaritas is continuing to split. Honorary Chairman of Szolidaritas, Peter Konya quits and founds a new party. The Bureau of Szolidaritas decided last week that they take note the creation of the new party which will be totally organizationally independent from the movement. “The Bureau takes note that Peter Konya – partly with the participation of some of the members of the Szolidaritas Movement – would like to establish a completely independent party” – a Presidency decision wrote.

The Bureau discussed that the internal conflict between the two parts were unmanageable: some of them wanted to create a new party, some of them a civil movement. The party founding of Konya can solve this inner tension. Konya indicated that as the new party will have been registered, he renounces the chairmanship and leaves the movement, or more accurately, he will be a supporting member. The Presidency of Szolidaritas did not rule out they would cooperate with Konya someday, but it is not “timely”.

The protocol of the Bureau meeting of Szolidaritas writes the movement “does not issue a press release in connection with the new party, and stays away from the public opinion’s influence in other ways too.”

According to index.hu, Konya said the new party had not been registered yet and he had nothing to report, he was thinking about it.

“There are conversations, I travel the country, we are assessing the needs” – said Konya who wants to consider it not to disappear immediately. He already talked about establishing a new party in 2014, and then Szolidaritas distanced themselves from him.

Egyutt PM was set up by former Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai and his companions in 2013. In 2014, Gordon Bajnai left the alliance, then PM party quit, then Szolidaritas broke the strategical cooperation, and now Peter Konya leaves Szolidaritas. If the new party of Peter Konya splits, index.hu will report it, the website funnily added.

based on the article of index.hu
translated by BA

Photo: Peter Konya Facebook page

Pro-govt civil movement COF opens poster exhibition on migration – Reactions

Budapest (MTI) – The pro-government Civil Unity Forum (COF) on Monday opened an open-air poster exhibition about opposition politicians’ remarks on migrants.

The posters on display near MPs’ offices at Budapest’s Olimpia Park are aimed to contrast opposition statements with the “reality” about migrants, COF founder Laszlo Csizmadia said. Next to the photos and citations by Socialist, Democratic Coalition (DK) and Jobbik politicians, the posters show images of migrants shouting and pelting stones.

Csizmadia said at the opening event that as many as 300,000 migrants entered Hungary illegally, with the help of human smugglers, this year.

“If European leaders fail to act in time, Europe as we know it today will disappear, along with European Christian civilisation,” he said. Additional dangers include civil wars and the heightened threat of terror attacks.

No business or economic interests could justify the violation of Schengen borders and the EU’s common legal system, he added. The exploitation of workforce that grew up in a different culture could only be beneficial temporarily, he said.

Csizmadia said COF rejects remarks by party politicians that could bring danger to Hungary. If the left-wing parties were currently in power, the mass of people “would have uncontrollably flooded the country,” he added.

He insisted, however, that COF is against illegal migrants and human smugglers but not against political refugees.

The exhibition will be on display at Olimpia Park until Oct. 10 and it is possible it may tour around the country after that, Csizmadia said.

REACTIONS

The Socialists responded to the exhibition saying that migration was a “false problem” and the subject of fear mongering created by Fidesz and “the political prostitute known as COF” to divert attention from real problems caused by the Orban government. They said migrants who have entered Hungary all came intending to simply pass through.

Egyutt leader Viktor Szigetvari said COF’s quotes attributed to him are true: he had said earlier that many of the migrants are skilled and the Hungarian economy is in need of at least 15,000 skilled workers. He said his party still supports mandatory refugee quotas and demands that the government implement a new migration policy.

Adam Mirkoczki, spokesman of radical nationalist Jobbik, said in response that COF’s display was “incomplete” and suggested that two quotes from Prime Minister Viktor Orban should be added.

Mirkoczki referred to a joint press conference by Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and the Hungarian leader, at which the latter voiced his appreciation for Islam, a “major intellectual and spiritual achievement”. Mirkoczki also noted an interview in which Orban said that “I hold Islam in great esteem. Without Muslim philosophy one part of the world would have long fallen victim to barbarism”.

Photo: MTI

Opposition DK, Egyutt say nothing new in Orban’s six proposals on migrant crisis

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, September 23 (MTI) – The leftist Democratic Coalition (DK) said that four of the six proposals the prime minister is to submit at the extraordinary EU summit in Brussels later in the day are not new, but “stolen” ideas.

The European Commission had already proposed before that the EU’s borders should in the first place be protected in Greece, DK’s deputy leader told MTI.

Brussels also proposed earlier that a distinction should be made between refugees and economic migrants, Csaba Molnar said.

Brussels also proposed earlier drawing up a list of safe countries and ensuring funding.

Commenting on Orban’s fifth proposal on developing a partnership with states whose involvement in handling the migrant crisis is unavoidable, such as Turkey and Russia, DK said it was aimed at “representing the interests” of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Egyutt party said the core of it had already been included in European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s package of proposals. Egyutt supports the migration quota scheme and Hungary’s giving shelter to 15,000 migrants, it said.

Leftist oppositions hold demonstration against government migration policies

Budapest, September 13 (MTI) – A demonstrations against the government’s migration policies started in central Budapest on Sunday.

Egyutt

Participants of the demonstration, organised by the opposition Egyutt (Together) party, marched to parliament square under the slogan “Shame on you, Orban!”.

Peter Juhasz, Egyutt’s deputy leader, said Prime Minister Viktor Orban has tarnished Hungary’s reputation abroad with his “barbaric policies”. The demonstration was to show that Hungarian people are humanitarian and to express solidarity with the refugees.

Several thousand people joined the demonstration march by 4.30pm at the gathering point of Szabad Sajto (Freedom of Press) street, MTI’s correspondent said from the site.

Democratic Coalition

The leftist opposition Democratic Coalition is calling on families to “let go of their fear of refugees” and open their hearts, DK leader Ferenc Gyurcsany said at a rally on Sunday.

“The government will only behave the way it does as long as it thinks that the majority is full of fear,” Gyurcsany said. “But when they see that the majority wants to open up the country, they must change their tune or take a fall,” he added.

He said Hungary cannot solve this problem alone and that Viktor Orban did not understand this. “The prime minister does not see that insisting on national sovereignty does not work in this case,” only close cooperation with others, he said. At the same time EU secret service forces should be joined in clamping down on human smuggling, he added.

He criticised the laws on migration which will come into effect on Tuesday and said everyone “helping these people” could become a criminal. “If so, let Hungary be the country of ten million criminals,” he said.

DK will not let results in opinion polls guide them on this issue, he said. There should be no fear towards refugees; “we shouldn’t fear if maybe one million Muslims arrive in a Europe of 500 million,” he said.

Photo: MTI