PM thanks Hungarians for observing peace

Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány expressed thanks to Hungarians for remaining peaceful on Saturday, and observed that a period of unrest is over. Addressing Parliament before regular business, he said "difficult weeks are behind us, a period that was tough on us all, but the third Hungarian Republic has endured the test, and order proved stronger than disorder, law stronger than lawlessness, and calm prevailed over unrest. Thank you, Hungary."

Fidesz and Christian Democrat MPs, with the exception of the two caucus leaders, had left the room as Gyurcsány rose to speak.

Socialist deputy caucus leader György Podolák described senior Fidesz politicians, particularly Viktor Orbán, László Kövér, and Zsolt Semjén as lying political agents provocateurs. He said their claim that police pushed rioters to the peaceful Fidesz demonstrators at Astoria on October 23 was a lie.

In a new tactic, Speaker Katalin Szili left it to the discretion of the House as to whether Semjén could take the floor to respond. As Parliament had no quorum, due to the absence of Fidesz and Christian Democrat MPs, he was not given leave to speak.

Fidesz and Christian Democrat MPs later returned to ask who was responsible for police brutality on October 23. Law Enforcement Minister József Petrétei rejected the "political campaign against the police."

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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