The Hungarian government and the outside world

By now the Orbán government reacts absolutely hysterically to the widespread perception outside of Hungary that there is something very wrong in the country. The foreign media have a heyday: one horrendous piece of news after the other is reported all over the world, and the facts seem to direct attention to a government that is undemocratic and  Eurosceptic and that wants to build a disguised one-party system for years to come. The controversial media law is considered to be still unfinished business in Brussels, the new constitution has been received with horror, and just as The Washington Post predicted last summer Viktor Orbán has become a pariah outside of Hungary.

What is the answer of the Hungarian government to these criticisms? The Hungarian opposition is at fault. They are the ones who thanks to their international connections are fomenting anti-Hungarian feelings all over the world. Be it in the United States, Sweden, Germany, Austria, or even as far as Australia. 

Now, after Gyöngyöspata, the government's reaction is the same. The fault lies not with the government nor with the local police that was unable to keep order. No, they are innocent. In fact, there was no trouble at all in the village. Everything was quiet and peaceful, and the Roma had no reason to fear anything. The whole affair was the creation of outsiders who don't like the current government.

Máté Kocsis, a name I'm sure we will hear a lot of in the future, is the Fidesz chairman of the parliamentary committee on defense and public order who announced Fidesz's intention to create a sub-committee to investigate "who lied and why they lied that there had been an evacuation" of almost 300 Roma women and children. He specifically mentioned the importance of learning the exact role of the "American businessman who financed the election campaign of LMP."

Máté Kocsis is only thirty years old, and until now he had no important political role. He is one of those political non-entities whom Viktor Orbán suddenly "discovers" and puts into important posititions practically overnight. He has a law degree from the Péter Pázmány Catholic University. I watched Olga Kálmán interview him on ATV. Although he didn't strike me as a very skilled politician, he did manage to give a half-acceptable answer to Kálmán's question about why the government waited so long to take steps against the neo-Nazi groups that showed up in Gyöngyöspata.

Kocsis also wants to uncover "the opposition parties' responsibility for systematically ruining the country's reputation." According to him "it must be investigated in whose interest it is to run to the foreign media and give the impression that there is a situation in Hungary resembling civil war." Surely, their goal is "to discredit the country abroad."

What kind of a subcommittee does Kocsis have in mind? According to the appropriate paragraphs of the House rules it will have a Fidesz-KDNP majority, but Kocsis expects all parties to take part in the work of the subcommittee that might be created by mid-May. Surely, Jobbik will gladly join in. Thus there will be an overwhelming right-wing majority with perhaps a couple of MSZP and LMP members. MSZP hasn't responded yet, but LMP apparently is willing to participate. This despite the fact that Richard Field, the American business man living in Hungary who organized the Roma evacuation and who is a supporter of LMP, addressed a letter to Kocsis in which he told him in no uncertain terms that he will not be part of "a show investigation." According to Field the real facts of the evacuation are well documented.

Field reiterated in his letter to Kocsis that the evacuation of 276 Roma women and children before the Véderő's military exercises was justified because on April 22 (Friday) not one policeman could be found in the village. He arrived in Gyöngyöspata at 7:30 in the morning without anyone checking his papers. The police arrived only after the 276 people had left the village in six buses.

He finished his letter to Kocsis by saying that "if as a result of my actions I damaged the international reputation of Hungary, a country I love, I'm truly sorry. However, if in the future I'm asked to help defend Hungarian citizens from fascist gangsters, I will not hesitate because the lives of Hungarian citizens are more important than the reputation of any government or party. If I managed to show to the Hungarians that freedom must be accompanied by the defense of the least fortunate members of society, then I will feel that my life was worthwhile."

Jobbik followed the lead of Fidesz and decided to turn to the chief prosecutor's office. They are especially interested in the role of Richard Field in the affair. For good measure they added the name of Ferenc Gyurcsány as well. What does Gyurcsány have to do with Gyöngyöspata? After reading an article by Júlia Lévai in www.galamus.hu entitled "Not Gypsy but Nazi question" he decided to transfer one million forints of his own money to the local Gypsy organization in case there is a need to evacuate the Roma from the village. Thus Field is not the only one guilty of spreading "rumors" but Gyurcsány as well because both men are misleading the world about the true situation in Gyöngyöspata where, according to the Hungarian government, everything was calm and where the government did everything in its power to keep order.

If Fidesz and the Orbán government asked me how to deal with the outside world, I would strongly advise them to stop blaming others for everything bad that happens in the country. First of all, there was extensive coverage of what has been going on in Gyöngyöspata ever since the beginning of March. The Hungarian government's efforts to deny the very existence of trouble and to blame others for spreading "rumors" is more than ridiculous. The Orbán government's reputation--which admittedly is becoming more tarnished by the day--is at stake. If they go on like this, foreign criticism of the Hungarian government will only intensify. Jerrold Post mentioned that some of those dictator-types have a distorted view of reality. I'm afraid this is the case in Budapest at the moment.

Comments

[Jano]

Of course, it's always the oppositions fault, when something went wrong for Gyurcsány, it was the oppositions fault, when something goes wrong for Orbán, guess what, it's the oppositions fault. Same old song over and over again. Sick of it.

[Odin's lost eye]

I am very surprised that the Government of Hungary has not yet learned that what you say three times is true! Those stupid naïve foreigners say so (The Hunting of the Snark L.Carol).

If the revolution of His Mightiness (OV) is so glorious and real why should His Mightiness even bother by what the lying foreign press writes? There is no life outside Hungary and if there is it is not real.

[Karl Pfeifer]

Fidesz Propaganda about Gyönyöspata is desperate to show:
a) Gypsies hat nobody to fear
b) Hungarians had to fear the Gypsies
And Magyar Hirlap owned by V.O.’s good friend Gábor Széles has published an anonymous letter to the editor
http://hetivalasz.hu/itthon/megdobbento-level-a-gyongyospatan-evek-ota-fennallo-valodi-allapotokrol-36563/?cikk_ertekel=1&ertekeles=3
showing how Gypsies terrorized the Hungarians.
Népszabadság has published yesterday an article asserting that the „commander“ of the „véderö“ had ten previous convictions and worked before he came to Gyöngyöspata as doorman, now that he will run for the job as mayor of Gyöngyöspata even Jobbik has discovered, that they have to fear competition.
http://nol.hu/velemeny/20110429-elszabadult_bakancs

[Józsi Bácsi]

"evacuation of 276 Roma"

Evacuation from what? Earth quake, flood, volcanic eruption or other serious disaster?
Media circus for the purpose of damaging the reputation of Hungary in the eyes of brainwashed liberals of the EU and the USA?
Make it sound like there's real danger, women and children are murdered by bloodthirsty exreme-ultra-radical nazi storm troopers?
There are too many bleeding heart liberals who have never had to experience the day to day reality of living in constant fear in the villages of rural Hungary. Crime is part of life there, police protection, law and order are not. No one speaks out for the victims, everyone is busy passing judgment, without hearing both sides.
Eliminating the term "gypsy crime" and replacing "gypsy" with "roma" didn't do much good. We need real solutions, not empty PC gestures. Helping gypsy criminals is not to the benefit of gypsies who are willing and capable of integrating in civilized society. Liberals have done nothing, but convince gypsies that they are the victims, and the rest are responsible for that. It only gives them a license to do whatever they please, continue with their old ways, and blame society.
It just won't work, and we still have no clear ideas how to deal with this age old problem. It may take decades or even centuries to make some progress.
Who's going to make life better for those who suffer from gypsy crime on a daily basis? Will Mr. Field "evacuate" Hungarians from troubled areas? Will Mr. Orban shut up already and provide adequate protection instead of removing any chance for self defense? What would be your opinion if you and your property were violated regularly? Would you prefer living in fear and cut your losses, or organize a civic patrol,at least until the police get their act together?

[Karl Pfeifer]

Jozsi Bácsi, should we now speak also about "Hungarian crime" because some Hungarians perpetrated serial murder against Roma?
Is not the Fidesz government responsible to maintain law and order?
Would Hungarian social problems be solved, if Roma are instrumentalized - as you do-, as scapegoats?
Do you qualify those uniformed racist militias as "civic patrol"s?

[hettie]

i think the government forgets that there are plenty british and us expats in hungary, not to mention other europeans... they speak better english/german etc anyway than the opposition and they also have an opinion which they can share even more effectively.

oh, and there's the internet too... the government truly is stuck in the early 1990's which adds an especially dated flavour to their general incompetence...

[Mutt Damon]

@Jozsi "What would be your opinion if you and your property were violated regularly"

Well, I would load my pellet gun with home made hard salty pellets and shoot them in the ass. It's very effective. Gipsy or KKK - same pellet. This would introduce the term "bleeding ass conservative".

You hit the nail on the head when you say your government should maintain law and order. I totally agree with you. The point where we "bleeding hearts" disagree with you is that the militias will only escalate violence, whether Mr. Field steps in or not. We'll end up lynching people very soon if the KKK keeps doing the rallies and 20 years from now you and Johnny will sing the same song on a liberal blog explaining that there was no lynching in Hungary only the libs are falsifying history (again) to slander the great Hungarian nation. The KKK didn't solve the civil right issue in the US either. You and the Vedero should put on the boots and march in front of the Parliament instead. But here we go again ... let's try the easy way first. Preferably without work or financial sacrifice. Reorganizing law enforcement from my tax money? Spending time on effective laws instead of a bogus constitution ... nah. When the "balsors" comes back from vacation it will have a lot of "teping" to do. (Huh, this the worst Hunglish ever .. "Balsors akit regen tep". Get it?)

@Jozsi "Media circus for the purpose of damaging the reputation of Hungary in the eyes of brainwashed liberals of the EU and the USA"

Oh, God, Joseph. Do you really believe in this? Is it in your "Politics and Economy" Studies (PolGaz) notes from college? Do you think the Washington Post (my paper here) cares about damaging Hungary's reputation? It's not even a liberal paper. By the way it's called freedom of press and it's been around in Hungary for 20 years. Get used to it.

[oneill]

I am a long-term lurker on here and, if I may, I would share two observations.

How the outside world perceives his regime does seriously irritate Orban, possibly because it is something which he knows, he will never any way of controlling. I'm not sure why it should needle him so, it's not like the average Hungarian will find out about what The Economist, Guradian, Washington Post etc are writing about him and even if they could, I'm sure the vast majority, outside the Budapest educated/liberal elite couldn't care less anyway. But, still, bother him it does.

Second point is the one touched on by Hettie. Despite the first point, despite the UK company now hired for PR, Fidesz are seriously incompetent at dealing with the international and the modern social media. They were mugged good and proper with the media law pre Xmas and they were mugged good and proper with how the news spread out about the "evacuation". Not to say, they didn't deserve to be mugged in both cases, but their response was most definitely country-bumpkinish rather than what you would you have expected from a country holding the EU Presidency in 2011.

[Mutt Damon]

@oneill "outside world perceives his regime does seriously irritate Orban"

I think you miss the twisted logic behind this. This a just a populist trick to drum up support. To tell Jozsi (average Joe) "see, they are telling bad thing's about you" but "we know it's not true, don't we?" Wink. Those guys (who happen to be my political opponents) are lying about you ... but "do not worry my loyal subject, I will straighten them and out for ya" ... and Jozsi is deeply touched now because the government is taking care of him.

[Jim]

Józsi Bá'

"Media circus for the purpose of damaging the reputation of Hungary"

Hungary does a pretty good job of that all by itself. There are several Gypsy families here in my building in Budapest's I. district that were evacuated from Gyöngyöspata, and the children were quite frightened when they arrived, I assure you.

[Kirsten]

Jozsi: "Would you prefer living in fear and cut your losses, or organize a civic patrol,at least until the police get their act together?"

From what you wrote I got the impression that the Hungarian state defined now through its function as the organiser of public order and safety has already imploded. I am thinking whether this can be true. If it were true, I would indeed suggest to think about whether this government is up to its task. But whether the best solution is to return to privately organised security and every person defending himself with his own "sword", I doubt. What has changed during the past 10 years that public safety appears now threatened?

[someone]

Józsi Bácsi: "Media circus for the purpose of damaging the reputation of Hungary damaging the reputation of Hungary" One question to you: Why would anyone want to damage the reputation of Hungary?

"Who's going to make life better for those who suffer from gypsy crime on a daily basis? " This question was asked in the 1930s you just have to replace the world gypsy with Jewish. Jozsi, there are many awful Jews, many awful gypsies, and many awful Hungarians. Crime should not go unpunished, but the same law should apply to all sir, and I do not think that neo-nazi troops are marching in front of your house because some Hungarian Jobbik member committed some crime. Do they?

[Gábor]

Éva, just for the record, if I recall correctly Kocsis, at the start of his carreer was a member of MIÉP.

http://fideszfigyelo.blog.hu/2009/11/20/hazudott_a_miep_tagsagarol_a_fidesz_polgarmester_jeloltje

[Eva S. Balogh]

Gábor: "if I recall correctly Kocsis, at the start of his carreer was a member of MIÉP"

Thank you for calling my attention to it. As soon as I started reading the piece in Fideszfigyelo, the whole story came back. Even his showing the finger and his face. Just forgot his name completely. Orbán picks them well!

[oneill]

I think you miss the twisted logic behind this. This a just a populist trick to drum up support. To tell Jozsi (average Joe) "see, they are telling bad thing's about you" but "we know it's not true, don't we?" Wink

Mutt D,

Yes, that's true. But there is still an instinctive hatred of all criticism on the part of Orban, especially criticism which he has no means of blocking. Jozsi bacsi doesn't know or care about what, for example, The Economist writes but The Dear Leader most certainly does. Last week, following a rather placid article about the Constitution in The Economist, there followed an indignant letter from one of his apparachiks in London. Jozsi B won't have seen or understood the first article, it wasn't publicised, so no need for Orban to send the poodles in to "correct" it. But he did.

[Johnny Boy]

"addressed a letter to Kocsis in which he told him in no uncertain terms that he will not be part of "a show investigation."

True. He will not be a part of any investigation.
He will be the subject of the investigation, which makes for a significant difference.

"According to Field the real facts of the evacuation are well documented"

And exactly this is why Mr. Field will justly be one of the subjects of the investigation.

[Paul]

Very mild response from JB there. Sticking entirely to semantics - no abuse, no counter claims, no dodgy links.

Fidesz obviously haven't got a leg to stand on.

And they know it.

[Johnny Boy]

"Very mild response from JB there. Sticking entirely to semantics - no abuse, no counter claims, no dodgy links."

You systematically ignore all my links, then proceed to complain how I never give you anything to support my claims, so why bother?
Last time I posted my link set twice on Hungary's very positive reputation concerning the latest economic steps, yet you wanted me to repeat them as you "couldn't find them".
If it is not enough twice, it will never be.