Opposition leader calls for referendum at Astoria rally

Fidesz chairman Viktor Orbán called for a referendum on reforms to education, health care, pensions and land reform and "the democratic control of the government," as he addressed a crowd estimated at up to 100,000.

"We must act," he declared, "citizens should have the chance to vote, to freely make a decision on reforms.

"A referendum would solve three problems: not merely to bring an end to mere money collection instead of true reforms, but also to improve the current state of national paralysis and to prevent the populace from leaving democratic frameworks due to the growing threat of poverty," he said.

"Gyurcsány get lost!" shouted the crowd continually.

Fidesz held its rally from 4 p.m. Orbán claimed that "people will only accept the austerity measures if the persons responsible are named and ousted from politics." Fidesz will file the bills on referendums today.

European People's Party chairman Wilfred Martens addressed the crowd at Astoria before Orbán. He said: "the message of 1956 is that there is a need for and also a chance of change," to great applause. "Nevertheless, it is clear that violence cannot be used," Martens added.

"Orbán is bluffing again, saying the government can be replaced. The referendum can decide Orbán's future, not the government's," Socialist caucus leader Ildikó Lendvai commented.

"Fidesz creates tensions but has no strategy," said Free Democrat chairman Gábor Kuncze.

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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