Preparing for governing more important than individual interests, says Jobbik deputy leader

Budapest, April 21 (MTI) – The Jobbik should give priority to preparations for governing rather than keeping individual interests in view, deputy leader Tamás Sneider said on Thursday, responding to press reports about the replacement of three fellow deputy leaders.

It was announced on Wednesday that party leader Gábor Vona decided to replace three of his deputies, Előd Novák, István Apáti and István Szávay.

Giving the reasons for the move, party spokesman Ádám Mirkóczki said on Wednesday that the current board had accomplished its mission of stabilising voter support and turning Jobbik into a leading opposition force. In the next phase, Jobbik should prepare for governing after the 2018 general elections, and Vona wants to have “new faces”, including mayors, among his deputies.

The move does not signal confrontation between radicals and moderates within the party, Sneider told a press roundtable, adding that the three other deputy leaders will remain “important personalities” in Jobbik.

Party leader Vona, however, wants to include in the board people, for instance mayors, who can “operate systems”, Sneider said.

Novák told online news portal index.hu that he was “shocked” and surprised by Vona’s decision. Citing unnamed sources, the portal said that deputy group leader Dora Duro, Novak’s wife, would in response resign of all her posts. Novak declined to comment the information.

Istvan Szávay said on Facebook earlier that he might consider seeking re-election if he “feels” to have enough support by party members. He said he considered himself neither a radical, nor a hardliner, nor someone who would stand in Jobbik’s way to become a governing party.

Istvan Apáti told television news channel Hir TV that he had decided to seek re-election since he “feels” a strong backing by party members.

According to press reports, lawmaker Enikő Hegedűs has decided to run for the post of deputy leader, despite Vona’s request to abandon such a plan.

Novák later confirmed at a press conference that he intends to run for another term as deputy leader and has asked Vona to reconsider his position on the matter. Novák said it was wrong to try to settle disputes with “force” instead of arguments, adding that Vona’s planned veto of the three deputy leaders’ runs for re-election was dividing Jobbik.