March 15 – Opposition parties celebrated the anniversary of Hungary’s 1848 revolution

Budapest, March 15 (MTI) – The leader of the opposition Jobbik party on Tuesday told a party event to mark the March 15 national holiday that Jobbik will launch a “spring anti-corruption campaign”. Freedom of the press is not possible without a free society and vice versa, meaning that the press freedom truly mirrors the state of a society, the leader of the Socialist Party said. Tyranny in 2016 comes in the form of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and this new form of tyranny attempts to enforce its will not in Vienna, but in Budapest on Kossuth Square, the leader of the leftist opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) said. Co-leader of the opposition Dialogue for Hungary party, Gergely Karácsony, on Tuesday accused the government of opposing the people since it had “dismantled the third republic” and “ruined everything” built ever since the 1989-90 change in political system. The opposition Együtt party said the “Orban regime”, which “can no longer be considered democratic”, has launched an attack against freedom. 

Jobbik launches ‘anti-corruption campaign’

Addressing party faithful in Budapest’s Petofi Square, Gábor Vona called for “thieving politicians to be put behind bars”. Referring to attempts to change the constitution to give the state broad counter-terrorism powers among other moves, he accused the government of losing all self-control.

Referring to widespread street protests against the government of Ferenc Gyurcsány in 2006, he said: “The Hungarian people in 2006 took to the streets with every right in protest against a lying and corrupt government, and this was an example to successive generations.” Vona vowed to bring before parliament a resolution proposal on “rehabilitating” 2006.

In his speech, Vona asked supporters to show enthusiasm and love of homeland and freedom not only at national celebrations but in their daily lives, too.

Press freedom mirrors state of society, says Tóbiás

József Tóbiás was speaking at the Free Press Prize award ceremony. The prize, founded by the Socialist Party, was presented to television journalist Krisztina Bombera, actor Balázs Galkó and journalist Ernő Klecska, on the occasion of the anniversary of the 1848 revolution.

Tóbiás said there is no reason to celebrate the freedom of the Hungarian press today. “We are celebrating not the freedom of the press that exists but the freedom of the press that we yearn for,” he said.