Brussels, 21/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European parties and political groups in the European Parliament continue to clash over the Hungarian Prime minister's leaked admission of lying to the electorate, which have led over the last few days to calls for the government to resign and violent demonstrations in Hungary (see EUROPE 9269).
Hungarian members of the EPP-ED group in the European Parliament, backed by other MEPs of the same group, have written an open letter to the leader of the Party of European Socialists (PES) Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, expressing their surprise at his defence of the Hungarian Prime Minister and calling on him, “as fellow democrats”, to withdraw his statement and to “abandon supporting a discredited politician”. A “misconceived sense of solidarity with the PES member Hungarian Socialist Party should not blind you to the most basic principles of democracy. Politics cannot be based on systematic lying. We cannot imagine that you and the Party of European Socialists share the cynical views expressed by Mr Gyurcsany,” FIDESZ-MPSZ MEPs told Mr Rasmussen.
European Liberal Youth (LYMEC), however, condemns the violent demonstrations on the streets of Hungary. “We are saddened that some political forces in Hungary have exploited the recent release of a confidential Prime Minister's speech to try to introduce anarchy,” said Roger Albinyana, LYMEC President, in a press release. He warned, “Violence and instability is the last thing Hungary needs. Inciting violence is … contrary to European values. … If we look beyond the surface of the released speech, what matters is the government's dedication to the reform process …, and this government has the support of European Liberals”. Emese John, President of the New Generation of Hungary, the youth wing of the Hungarian Liberal SzDsz Party (whose MEPs sit with the ALDE group), said, “We, young liberals on behalf of the New Generation, ask all politicians in Hungary to refrain from inciting violence and making irresponsible statements that may threaten the future of our country”.