July 6th, 2009

Socialists, Fidesz squabble over allegations of extremism

Hungary’s ruling Socialist party calls on main opposition Fidesz to clearly distance itself from Hungary’s radical nationalists and help create an “anti-fascist” consensus, MP Gergely Barandy said on Sunday.

Barandy was speaking in response to a demonstration on Saturday by the Hungarian Guard, the paramilitary arm of the radical nationalist Jobbik party, against a recent ban on the organisation. Leader of Jobbik Gabor Vona was among the participants at the sit-down demonstration, where police used tear gas to disperse some 200 members and supporters of the banned group.

Vona was detained but released a few hours later.

Barandy said the demonstration and the fact that Vona had taken part signalled that “respect for democratic norms was far from Jobbik’s way of thinking.”

Jobbik came onto the political arena in early June by winning three mandates with nearly 15 percent of votes in the European parliamentary elections.

Spokesman for the main opposition Fidesz party Andras Cser-Palkovics dismissed Barandy’s remarks and said “the Socialists were in no position to give lessons on democracy, constitutionalism or morality.”

Topics
Share
Comments
The All Hungary Media Group is firmly committed to freedom of expression and therefore applies a mostly "hands off" approach to comment moderation. Comments left by readers represent their own views and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of the staff, editors or owner of the All Hungary Media Group, who nonetheless reserve the right to remove comments that are off-topic or which moderators consider to constitute "hate speech." Also note that in order to prevent spam we generally close entries off to comments several days after publication.

4 Comments

  1. Will G says:

    Oh, and Sophie, just curious, but whats your deal regarding being in Hungary? Relatives, Job, student? Just wondering since you have so much pent up rage and aggression :) If you really are British as everyone always comments, did you or your friends vote for the BNP? ;)

  2. Gene Autry says:

    Will G. What a name? Are you “home on the range fodder”? You useless piece of mediocre,horse shit.
    Nobody cares about your useless drivel – least of all your curious posturing about the other halfwit- Sophie (Tucker)?

  3. Will G says:

    um, lol, don’t really know how to react there Gene. just no comment i guess. lmao

  4. bobscountrybunker says:

    Definition of “paramilitary” from dictionary.com:
    ‘adj. noting or pertaining to an organization operating as, in place of, or as a supplement to a regular military force e.g. a paramilitary police unit.’
    Examples of paramilitary groups from the Wikipedia article, include, the Italian Carabinieri, the US Coast Guard, and armed insurgent groups like the IRA.
    So, how are a bunch of fat middle aged men, who are always strictly unarmed, and do nothing more intimidating than march around waving flags in waistcoats (and chucking the occasional beer bottle IF reports on Saturday are to be believed), a paramilitary arm of anything?
    That’s right, they’re not, and can’t possibly be.
    How can press organizations feel permitted to promote such a staggering lie? Oh yeah, now I remember, because scaring people sells newspapers; and politicians love having a bogeyman with which to distract people from their own corruption.
    Yet more people frightened, and nobody enlightened. Large drinks all round then! You must all be so proud of yourselves.
    Intelligent source of intelligence, my eye!