Governing party condemns far-right "Hungarian Guard"

Fidesz yesterday refused to condemn the far right Jobbik party for planning to form and arm an extra-governmental national guard, the Magyar Gárda.

After Socialist deputy caucus leader István Göndör called on Fidesz and its chairman Viktor Orbán to sever all political ties with Jobbik. Fidesz deputy spokesman András Cser-Palkovics said Fidesz stands up for the right of association, adding that this must be guaranteed by the state, rather than by parties.

Göndör asserted that the formation of the Magyar Gárda opens a new chapter in the history of the Hungarian far right, as they are arming themselves.

The secret service will monitor Magyar Gárda but there is yet no reason for any interference, the Figyelőnet website reported.

Free Democrat party chairman János Kóka warned Fidesz leader Viktor Orbán and Christian Democrat leader Zsolt Semjén that Jobbik is organising neo-fascist special troops into a paramilitary organisation, adding that the two parliamentary opposition parties have formed coalitions with Jobbik in several places.

The Magyar Gárda has asked Lajos Für, defence minister in the Democratic Forum-led cabinet of 1990-94, to inaugurate them at a swearing-in ceremony in Buda Castle on August 25. Für has yet to reply.

The Forum declared Für's potential participation outrageous and disappointing and deeply condemned the Magyar Gárda.

The Federation of Hungarian Resistance Fighters and Anti-Fascists urged all democrats to protest at the Bajcsy-Zsilinszky memorial in Deák tér on September 1, the anniversary of the start of World War II.

The Christian Democrats said in a statement that they are getting fed up with liberals crying fascist danger for years whenever someone raises the Árpád flag. They said the real danger is constituted by that party, the Free Democrats, which is selling off national property.

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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