Miklos Vamos, Budapest, Hungary - Your humble chronicler is a keen Hungarian. He is also a novelist, and because his book was coming out in German, he was in Berlin when his cell phone started to ring again and again. Many friends called from Hungary asking my opinions about events. Events? - I just hadn't the faintest idea what they were talking about. At the same time, a few foreign friends called and asked if I intended to go home. "Why shouldn't I?" "Because there has been a revolution in Budapest," they said, and added that I should watch CNN or Euronews. When I did, the aired scenes looked exactly like TV images of the tempestuous days of the 1956 Revolution. The only difference was that the latter had been black and white, while these moving pictures are color.
I knew I had to write about the "upheaval." I must admit my first sentiment was pride; nowadays, my tiny country shows up so rarely in the press and the TV news abroad! I was satisfied: We hit the spot this time from London to Rome.
Now I am in Budapest, and I reconstructed the story quite easily. As the inquiring newspaper readers even in the U.S. may know, Mr. Ferenc Gyurcsany, the Hungarian Prime Minister, gave a desperate speech at a secret meeting of the leaders of his Socialist Party. He used four-letter-words. He admitted that during the previous four years (his party won the elections last year again) "we" did not do anything. The country is in a deep pit. "We" fucked it up - and he used that four-letter word. "I've have had enough of this fucking country up to here!" he said. He claimed now we should really start working on the serious problems of Hungary.
The meeting took place in May, and it was taped for the records as always. Suddenly, radio stations aired this audio tape. It looked, as if "the" Hungarian people were outraged because its Prime Minister lied. Thus, a "revolt" broke out. Thousands of people (the country has 10 million inhabitants) protested in front of the magnificent building of the Parliament. The first show up between the AVH and the freedom fighters - this is why some foreign journalists, especially the older ones, cry the R word. However, it's probably not the site that made them think of a revolution. A revolution sells more the papers and gains more audiences than a simple disturbance.
Later hundreds, not thousands, of people attacked the headquarters of the state run television (the building is on the Freedom Square). They say they did it because Ferenc Gyurcsány was thought to be in there giving an interview. Others say that the attackers wanted their manifesto to be read in the news hour. Anyway, office rooms, studios and equipment were destroyed, and also a few cars burnt in front of the building. Police units had to interfere. They hit a few protesters and took away some others. Last Friday, the biggest opposition party (FIDESZ) called for a gigantic rally against the lying Prime Minister and government. A few days later, that rally was canceled, as the party leaders claimed, because of fears of provocation and to avoid violence. Nevertheless, the rallies and protest actions on a lower scale continued.
After provocative tapes were released, Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, pale and nervous, said he won't bow out. In front of the Hungarian Parliament, the ardent protest actions became everyday spectacle. People behaved like angry soccer fans. Soon, buffets were set up, a band played, and the scene looked a bit like a national picnic by night. There's no revolution in Hungary, but we feel that something wild could happen soon. The major party of the opposition could not swallow the defeat. Not even to the extent they could five years ago when the socialist defeated them first. Then they also organized rallies and protest meetings on different squares, including the aforementioned two. However, there were no burning cars and attacked buildings back then.
Frankly, I do not think Hungarians had ever a Prime Minister or other top politician who did not lie. This seems to be part of the business. I am not claiming that it is OK, I am just telling you it's not a surprise. Also, I do not think anybody believed that the pre-elections promises would be kept. Lying is morally unacceptable, but we shouldn't be hypocrite.
All in all, I think that:
1. Power-hungry opposition forces would throw mud by all means now that we are into the municipal elections. The losers of the parliamentary elections want to hit back this time by all means.
2. Ferenc Gyurcsány is young, good-looking man, and to top it all of, a millionaire. He is envied by many, and he must have massive enemies even in his own party. I bet that one of them sent the tape to the opposition or directly to the press.
3. In a democracy, the will of "the" people is obvious when you count the votes. Between elections no political group should try to call his partisans into the streets.
4. Ferenc Gyurcsány is the first Hungarian politician since the fall of the socialism who is upset because the problems are not solved, and because he and other politicians lied before the elections. I like that. His predecessors seemingly did not care. He said he did not want to lie anymore. And the angry right wing protesters want him to bow out because he was a liar? Right now, when he said the truth? I remember the pre-elections lies of the opposition too. They were big enough, but they only didn't get enough votes to win.
5. Last, but not least, this scandal will be totally forgotten in a matter of weeks both abroad and in Hungary. And then - hélas - I won't find another report about my tiny country in the foreign press for quite a long time.
I would like to ask readers and the panel:
With the turmoil in Hungary, are you afraid of a possible riot or revolution in the heart of Europe, or you think this small uprising may improve things over there?
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Comments (7)
Communists were never tolerated in the United States. Why should we expect the people of Hungary to tolerate them? It's quite obvious: Gyurcsany must go!
October 3, 2006 4:59 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 3, 2006 16:59
This guy doesn't have a clue of what he'is talking about other than shamelessly defending a bunch of gangsters robbing Hungary blind for decades i.e: the communist/liberal. Their lifeblood is lying, stealing the nation's wealth supported by their convulsive media.
Love ya babe
Bela Varga
San Francisco
October 2, 2006 9:15 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 2, 2006 21:15
Here is a short list of Hungarian participants in the Berlin International Literary Festival.
A magyar résztvevők programjai:
09. 07. / 19h. Café Geissler (Collegium Hungaricum)
Balogh Róbert Sváb evangélium című művéről a szerzővel Wilhelm Droste beszélget.
09. 07. / 20. 30. Buchhaendlerkeller
Dalos György olvas fel a Balaton-brigád című könyvéből
09. 08. / 19h. Haus der Berliner Festspiele / Seitenbühne
Poetry Nighyt II.: Többek között Vörös István olvassa fel verseit
09. 09. / 16. 30. Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Café Nabokov
Zilahy Péter és Moritz Rinke beszélgetnek a futballról és irodalomról.
09. 11. / 18h. Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Foyer
Végel Lászlóval beszélget Matthias Scherwenikas és Lidija Klasic.
09. 11. / 19. 30. Café Nabokov
Vörös István olvassa fel Ginsberg Üvöltés című versét magyarul.
09. 12. / 09. 30. - 12. 00 Haus der Berliner Festspiele Seitenbühne
Vörös István irodalomórája iskolásoknak.
09. 14. / 09. 00. Haus der Berliner Festspiele Seitenbühne
Vörös István felolvasása A hajnali tolvaj című kötetéből - iskolásoknak.
09. 15. / 21. 30. Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Seitenbühne
Bartis Attila estje. A szerző felolvas a Nyugalom című regényéből, majd Dalos György és Friedhelm Ptok beszélget vele.
09. 16. / 21. 30. Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Seitenbühne
Esterházy Péter és Nádas Péter szövegeinek színpadra adaptált változata.
October 2, 2006 8:38 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 2, 2006 20:38
I would like to express my profound dissatisfaction with the thoughts expressed in this article on the situation in Hungary. The comments are one-sided and wide of the mark.
First, the author states that all the previous prime ministers lied too. This is very easy to say, but the author should give evidence of such a statement. And there is even less evidence that they lied intentionally on such a huge scale (these are not petty lies we are talking about). And at least they did not get caught. There are many criminals on the loose out there, but if they get caught they are put into prison. That should be the case here too.
Second, why should people in Hungary believe that the current PM would be able (or even willing) to bring back the Hungarian economy from the verge of bankruptcy when it was exactly the same person who ruined it. It is like believing that Osama bin Laden would rebuild the World Trade Center. Destruction is always easier than construction. Even more so if basic talent and knowledge are missing.
Thirdly, just imagine what would happen in the US, UK or Germany if it turned out that the leader called his own country "a f*cking country", admitted undeniably that he and his team lied and manipulated economic data for many years to such an extent that the economy almost collapsed. Would not that call for a resignation?
Finally, the author is wrong in saying that this outrageous scandal would be totally forgotten in a matter of weeks in Hungary. It will take many years even if the PM decides (or he is forced) to resign. Moreover, the government deceived not just the Hungarian population in general, but also the EU officials by giving them false data on the situation of the country. They will not forget that easily either.
October 2, 2006 5:45 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 2, 2006 17:45
I find it ironic that The WP has it as a policy that it would remove any unsigned comments but would not post the name of the "author" who wrote this crap. Apparently, The Washington Post is not up to its own standards. Oy, what is new?
Also do they have such low standards to publish a letter so uncritical and unthinking? May I call your attention to the fact that because the April elections were won with orbital lies, the current Parliament and current government cannot be considered legitim.
Gyurcsany is brazen enough to call for a confidence vote against him - but! He is willing to do it within the same illegitim Parliament only. Hey, Gyurcsany, come out to play! We are right here, behind the Orszaghaz (incidentally, this means Country House) waiting for you to appear. We, the People, will give you a confidence vote if you ask for it. We, the People are eager to meet you face-to-face. And we are not going to leave until you come out.
Anybody who thinks this is a call for violence should go and see for themselves what the Kossuth Square (where the events take place, behind the Parliament) looks like. There is a rather festival-like mood there. And you'll see the most civilized and polite people there. Even the homeless bums are unfailingly polite and civil - when lining up for goulash that is cooked right on the spot (I was there on Saturday and sniffed it out) or when lining up for anything, including mobile toilets. There are also tents, street sellers with books about 1956 and Trianon, cookies, flags, beer, candies and whatnot. Nobody is drunk though.
The demonstrators maintain a civilized manner all the time and make a conscious effort to encourage others to do so, too. There are rumors that the violent mob that attacked the TV was hired by the desperate Commies and their eager allies the "Free Democrats" (who apparently care more about their own freedom far more than that of the country). I am willing to believe it because only 4 days later a whole-page photo ad appeared even in the conservative newspaper, Magyar Nemzet, showing the burnt walls of the Television building and asking the rhetoric question "Is this what you want or you want peace and order?"
Thanks God, most Hungarians were wise enough now not to fall for this crap. Fidesz, the Conservative party had an overwhelming victory yesterday at the municipal elections.
We are determined to make Gyurcsany to resign. Mi az hogy? Nagyon is!
October 2, 2006 3:26 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 2, 2006 15:26
Who is this author?
And why would he dismiss legitimate protest?
I have to wonder. Perhaps he has a vested interest in maintaining the current corrupt government.
October 2, 2006 2:00 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 2, 2006 14:00
Who is the author, the novelist, the humble--but totally wrong - Hungarian chronicler? Why doesn't he give his name?
October 2, 2006 12:54 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 2, 2006 12:54