Details emerge in resignation of Budapest police chief

Budapest Police chief Péter Gergényi resigned yesterday following weeks of criticism of heavy-handed police tactics in suppressing riots in Budapest. The department's head of public security, Lajos Lapid, and finance chief László Szik also handed in their resignations, effective December 31, to National Police chief László Bene.

According to unconfirmed reports, Gergényi will work in the private sector from January. Gergényi told Magyar Rádió Wednesday night that he wants to retire by mutual agreement. He would not say whether his decision was linked to the events of the past few weeks.

Gergényi’s resignation was not regretted by either Bene or Law Enforcement Minister József Petrétei, as they were unhappy with the inadequate defence of MTV headquarters on September 18 and with the way police controlled the riots on October 23, Magyar Hírlap writes. Petrétei will decide whether to accept Gergényi's resignation within the next few days. Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány will also have to approve it, as Gergényi is a senior civil servant. The 62-year-old has been in the police force for 42 years.

The Law Enforcement Ministry said in a statement that the cabinet rejects all political attacks, based on false accusations, aimed at destabilising the police and harmful to the whole country.

Gergényi's resignation was "in the air," according to Népszabadság, but still came as a surprise. Unidentified sources said his resignation acknowledges his responsibility for police excesses. Others said Gergényi may have felt that senior National Police officials, as well as ministry and government officials, consider him responsible for the way things degenerated in the riots.

Socialist politicians and government officials have nevertheless denied that anybody exerted pressure on Gergényi to leave. Allegedly not even those who were outraged by his apparent arrogance when he told the media that police acted lawfully, professionally and proportionately on October 23, and that anyone who had a problem with their conduct should turn to the Prosecutor's Office, did not want to see him go. Gergényi refused to accept any objections to the police actions, and would not admit that excesses may have been committed, Magyar Hírlap recalls.

Fidesz said Gergényi's retirement is an admission of responsibility, but added that it will not resolve the situation in the wake of October 23. MPs Zoltán Balog and Károly Kontrát said Fidesz demands that the cabinet name those responsible for the police brutality of October 23, as well as who ordered policemen to attack civilians.

Népszava quotes unidentified opposition politicians as saying that the government had sacrificed Gergényi.

The above story is just one of more than two dozen published today by Hungary Around the Clock, the most comprehensive source of daily English-language news about Hungary. For a free trial of HATC, click here. Hungarian news sources include Népszabadság; Magyar Hírlap; Világgazdaság; Napi Gazdaság; Magyar Nemzet; Népszava; Kossuth Rádió news and Hungarian television's nightly news broadcast.

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