gabor vona

March 16, 2010, 12:10 CET

What I saw at the Jobbik rally

Like most folks living in Budapest, I didn't bother going to any of the various political rallies held in conjunction with yesterday's March 15th celebrations. Yet I still managed to "go to" Jobbik's big 'do, because it was held... [read complete entry]

March 16, 2010, 09:43 CET

Party speakers focus on April elections at March 15 commemoration ceremonies

Speakers at political party rallies held on Monday, the day Hungary marked the 162nd anniversary of the outbreak of its 1848/49 revolution and war of independence from the Habsburgs, focused on the upcoming parliamentary elections in April. Official celebrations started... [read complete entry]

March 16, 2010, 09:42 CET

Jobbik pledges to be hard on crime

Hungary's radical nationalist Jobbik party said on Friday it would focus on fighting "subsistance crime, also known as gypsy crime" if elected to power in the April elections. Jobbik leader Gabor Vona presented Janos Volner, the spokesman for the banned... [read complete entry]

March 10, 2010, 09:58 CET

Allegations of marital infidelity hit Jobbik chairman

Rumors have started to swirl around the private life of Jobbik Chairman Gábor Vona after someone claiming to have hacked his Hungarian social networking site IWIW profile posted images from the account as well as personal communications online. Now Magyar... [read complete entry]

March 10, 2010, 09:31 CET

Jobbik to sue paper over adultery charges involving chairman

Jobbik will sue Magyar Hírlap for publishing the false claims of a website concerning party chairman Gábor Vona's adultery, press chief of the far-right party Előd Novák told MTI on Tuesday. The daily wrote that Vona, who is married, exchanged... [read complete entry]

March 09, 2010, 02:17 CET

Jobbik derails Fidesz's "anti-campaign" election train

Jobbik has derailed Fidesz’s electoral strategy of coasting toward victory this April while barely lifting a finger. Although so far the salvos from Fidesz have come from the more peripheral figures, it is increasingly apparent that in this election campaign,... [read complete entry]

March 08, 2010, 10:34 CET

Jobbik calls for "political criminals" to face jail terms

Hungary needs new laws to make sure that "political criminals" are punished, leader of radical nationalist Jobbik said at a campaign event on Sunday. Gabor Vona, Jobbik's prime-minister candidate, said his party "will not be scared to call for the... [read complete entry]

March 03, 2010, 09:33 CET

Parties to hold campaign rallies in Budapest on March 15 national holiday

All major parties in Hungary will hold a campaign rally on the afternoon of the national holiday of March 15 in the centre of Budapest, the organisers told MTI on Tuesday. March 15 marks the commemoration of Hungary's 1848 anti-Habsburg... [read complete entry]

March 01, 2010, 10:35 CET

Jobbik presents candidate for justice minister

Hungarian radical nationalist party Jobbik on Friday introduced a candidate for justice and local government minister, another member of Jobbik's shadow government, which is in the making. The party's leader Gabor Vona, who is also PM candidate, earlier said there... [read complete entry]

February 23, 2010, 10:13 CET

President Sólyom, opposition's Orbán lead poll

President Laszlo Solyom was given 47 points out of a maximum of 100 by respondents in a popularity survey by pollster Szonda Ipsos published in Tuesday's Nepszabadsag daily. Viktor Orban, head of the main opposition Fidesz, garnered 44 points -... [read complete entry]

February 23, 2010, 10:10 CET

Forsense projects three-party parliament after elections

Hungarians' inclination to go to the polls at the parliamentary elections this spring is on the increase and three parties will certainly get into parliament, pollster Forsense told MTI on Monday. The number of voters who have a party preference... [read complete entry]

February 15, 2010, 10:12 CET

Radical nationalist Jobbik plans shadow government

Hungarian radical nationalist party Jobbik is setting up a shadow government, and on Friday the party presented its candidate to head the Prime Minister's Office. Jobbik's leader Gabor Vona, who will lead the party into the election as its PM-candidate,... [read complete entry]

February 08, 2010, 10:18 CET

Parties slam Orbán's speech for ambiguousness

"A lot of talk and hardly any specifics," Socialist Party prime ministerial candidate Attila Mesterházy said in reaction to Orbán's speech on Friday afternoon. Mesterházy said Orbán urged blindfolded people to follow him into the unknown, adding that "I have... [read complete entry]

January 28, 2010, 09:49 CET

Fidesz seen to win two-thirds majority in next parliament

Hungary's main opposition Fidesz and its ally Christian Democrats could win two-thirds of the seats plus nine more in the next parliament, according to an optimal scenario developed in a poll by Nezopont Intezet sent to MTI on Wednesday. Nezopont... [read complete entry]

January 26, 2010, 03:16 CET

Vona reveals Jobbik's "enemies list": IMF, United States, Israel, Slovakia and terrestrial commercial television stations

In a speech held in Esztergom over the weekend, Jobbik chairman Gábor Vona (also the party's prime ministerial candidate) revealed what can be considered to be the party's "enemies list", origo.hu reports. If the party were to come into power,... [read complete entry]

January 25, 2010, 09:40 CET

Opposition leader Orbán heads popularity list

None of Hungary's politicians are rated positively by voters in the latest Szonda Ipsos popularity survey published in Monday's Nepszabadsag daily but Viktor Orban, the leader of conservative Fidesz, is the least negatively rated. Most of Orban's 45 points out... [read complete entry]

January 18, 2010, 10:54 CET

Radical nationalists preparing for election victory

The radical nationalist Jobbik party has prepared for the election campaign and is ready to take over government "in the interest of saving the country", party leader Gabor Vona told a press conference in Budapest on Saturday. Vona, who is... [read complete entry]

December 23, 2009, 09:53 CET

Politicians' prestige suffers in 2009, but pecking order remains stable

The prestige of Hungarian politicians generally declined in 2009 but their ranking remained by and large unchanged over the past year, national daily Nepszabadsag said on Wednesday, citing a recent Szonda Ipsos poll. Hungary's relatively most popular politician is President... [read complete entry]

December 22, 2009, 10:32 CET

Jobbik leader Vona rejects debate challenge by MDF's Bokros

Democratic Forum prime ministerial candidate Lajos Bokros has challenged Jobbik leader Gábor Vona to a public debate. Vona has rejected the invitation. In a letter to Vona, Bokros asked for 90 minutes to prove that Jobbik's policies will destroy and... [read complete entry]

December 18, 2009, 10:06 CET

Jobbik names Vona as PM candidate, Morvai for state president

Jobbik chairman Gábor Vona is the far-right party’s candidate for prime minister, while MEP Krisztina Morvai will be asked to accept nomination for the post of President at next year's parliamentary elections, spokeswoman Dóra Dúró announced on Thursday. The party's... [read complete entry]

December 17, 2009, 09:43 CET

Jobbik head Vona says Fidesz's Orbán cuts "tragic figure"

"Fidesz chairman Viktor Orbán knows what he should do but has no room for manoeuvre so there is nothing left for him to do except to utter platitudes," Jobbik chairman Gábor Vona told MTV Wednesday morning. "Jobbik has no need... [read complete entry]

December 16, 2009, 09:35 CET

Supreme Court upholds ban on Magyar Gárda

The Supreme Court dissolved the far-right Magyar Gárda society and movement on Tuesday, upholding an earlier ruling issued by the Budapest Court of Appeals. The prosecutor's office launched a civil lawsuit to have the group dissolved two years ago, arguing... [read complete entry]

November 24, 2009, 08:15 CET

Politicians' popularity continues to drop in November

Hungary's president and the head of the main opposition remained the most popular politicians in a November poll, which, however, gave low ratings overall to all players, daily Nepszabadsag said on Monday, quoting a Szonda Ipsos poll. President Laszlo Solyom... [read complete entry]

October 26, 2009, 10:23 CET

New poll finds Orbán most popular politician in Hungary

Hungarians continued to rate their politicians negatively in October, though the least unpopular were main opposition leader Viktor Orban tying with the president, Laszlo Solyom, according to a poll by Szonda Ipsos carried in Monday's Nespszabadsag daily. Tibor Navracsics, the... [read complete entry]

September 28, 2009, 12:08 CET

Magyar Gárda marches on Roma ghetto

Some 80 to 100 people, most of them in the uniform of outlawed far-right militia the Magyar Gárda, marched to a house in the Roma ghetto in Kiskunlacháza early Saturday. The following day it was reported that a Roma person... [read complete entry]

September 08, 2009, 09:55 CET

Jobbik dismisses talk of alliance with "liberal" Fidesz

The radical right-wing party Jobbik is preparing for government but will not enter into a coalition with the “liberal Fidesz”, party chairman Gábor Vona told reporters at Bátaszék, Tolna county on Monday, according to gondola.hu. Vona said ending corruption would... [read complete entry]

August 25, 2009, 11:30 CET

Charges pressed against Hungarian Guard members protesting outside police headquarters

Police have initiated legal proceedings against members of the banned paramilitary Hungarian Guard who stood in line in front of the national police's Budapest headquarters on Monday while the Guard's founder was in a hearing inside the building. Several uniformed... [read complete entry]

August 24, 2009, 09:50 CET

Police swoop on Magyar Gárda induction ceremony

Police launched misdemeanour proceedings against 176 people who took part in a swearing-in ceremony near Szentendre on Saturday as members of the New Magyar Gárda.... [read complete entry]

August 10, 2009, 10:32 CET

Jobbik leader heckles TV journalists over Holocaust denial question

Leader of the radical nationalist Jobbik party Gabor Vona insulted a journalist in response to a question about Holocaust denial on a morning television programme on Monday. Vona said "if you are so interested in Jewish issues I suggest you... [read complete entry]

August 04, 2009, 09:19 CET

Jobbik stages demonstration against banks, "foreign speculative capital"

Hungarian radical nationalist party Jobbik held a demonstration in front of the Finance Ministry in Budapest on Monday. The focus of the demonstration was against foreign speculative capital and in favour of Hungarian banking. The 150 of so protesters were... [read complete entry]

July 13, 2009, 11:28 CET

Radical nationalists demonstrate in Budapest, "re-establish" Magyar Gárda

Demonstrations of over 2,500 supporters of radical nationalist organisations held in two locations in central Budapest ended peacefully in the early evening hours on Saturday. Gabor Szabo, party director of radical nationalist Jobbik announced that his party's recently banned Hungarian... [read complete entry]

July 08, 2009, 09:30 CET

Police defend action against weekend demonstrators

The action taken by police against demonstrators on Erzsébet tér on Saturday were lawful and professional, the National Police said in a statement issued Tuesday. The statement said that police did not begin to disperse the banned demonstration until it... [read complete entry]

July 07, 2009, 09:34 CET

Commission vets complaints over police conduct at weekend demonstration

Hungary's Independent Police Complaints Authority has received five complaints by Monday noon regarding police action at a weekend demonstration of the paramilitary Hungarian Guard, the authority's chairman told MTI. Jeno Kaltenbach said the complaints targeted the police's alleged use of... [read complete entry]

July 06, 2009, 09:34 CET

Police break up Magyar Gárda protest; Jobbik leader detained

Police clashed in downtown Erzsébet tér on Saturday afternoon with a few hundred demonstrators who gathered to protest at Thursday’s court ruling dissolving the Magyar Gárda paramilitary group. One of the 216 detained was Gábor Vona, head of the Gárda... [read complete entry]

June 29, 2009, 11:35 CET

Jobbik leader says party "inevitable third force" in Hungarian politics

The leader of the radical nationalist Jobbik said on Saturday that the party had grown into an "inevitable third force" in Hungary's political arena as he greeted party supporters at a congress in Budapest. Gabor Vona said the right-left division... [read complete entry]

June 15, 2009, 12:50 CET

Hungarian far-right announces new national and international agenda

Earlier this morning, it was reported that Jobbik would seek to revise the terms of the Treaty of Trianon within the European Parliament, among some other things not to their liking. First off would be to overturn the Benes Decrees,... [read complete entry]

June 12, 2009, 09:27 CET

Vona says Jobbik to become "second force" in Hungarian politics

The Jobbik party wants to become Hungary's number two political force, party chairman Gábor Vona said in an interview with Magyar Hírlap on Thursday. Vona said his far-right party is planning to govern at any moment but would not form... [read complete entry]

June 09, 2009, 09:20 CET

Socialist leader downplays Fidesz victory; underscores Jobbik links

The 1,600,000 votes obtained by Fidesz at Sunday's elections are many, but not enough, as Fidesz failed to convince its own supporters that the election was about a change of government, Socialist leader Ildikó Lendvai told Parliament on Monday afternoon.... [read complete entry]

June 05, 2009, 12:04 CET

Jobbik anti-corruption campaign infected by contact with sleaze "patient zero"

In addition to its unabashed "Hungary for the Hungarians" nationalism, the right-wing Jobbik has been actively campaigning on a pledge to clean up Hungary's endemic corruption. As we saw yesterday, party chief Gábor Vona appeared with Hungarian Doctors' Association president... [read complete entry]

June 04, 2009, 12:43 CET

Jobbik demands "corrupt" politicians be held to account

Jobbik, a non-parliamentary radical party which polls indicate will win at least one seat in the European Parliament, is calling for a change of government and for Hungary's ruling politicians to be "held to account", the party's leader, Gabor Vona,... [read complete entry]

June 02, 2009, 07:29 CET

Jobbik leader slams debt, trade, central bank, high crime

The leader of Hungary's radical nationalist Jobbik party on Saturday called for crisis management, improving public safety and Hungarians' national consciousness at a European Parliamentary elections campaign rally. Gabor Vona said Hungary should initiate talks on reducing its public debt... [read complete entry]

May 13, 2009, 09:36 CET

Jobbik confident of winning EP seat, party leader says

Hungary's Jobbik party is confident that it will send its candidate to the European Parliament following the EP elections in June, Jobbik leader Gabor Vona told public Hungarian television on Tuesday. "Two thirds of Hungarian voters are Jobbik supporters, only... [read complete entry]

April 15, 2009, 09:20 CET

Police battle protestors as thousands demonstrate around Parliament

A largely peaceful demonstration against the election of Gordon Bajnai as Prime Minister and in favour of early elections turned violent on Tuesday afternoon as some protesters tried to break through police lines.... [read complete entry]

March 23, 2009, 10:25 CET

Fidesz spokesman says party to eschew bargaining, will push for elections

"It is a shame for Hungary that after seven years of poor governing a fallen prime minister wants to say what should happen in the future," Fidesz spokesman Péter Szíjjártó told reporters on Sunday.... [read complete entry]

October 09, 2008, 01:42 CET

Fidesz chief expects far-right and left will discover they have more in common than they think

Viktor Orbán is either enlarging the distance between Fidesz and the far-right, or he has come to the realization that there's no way he can control them, a new interview on his website reveals, as reported by origo.hu. In the... [read complete entry]

October 02, 2008, 12:05 CET

Hungarian Guard splitting into rival factions, Népszabadság claims

Following the resignation of Hungarian Guard national commissioner István Dósa and several other leading members, chaos has gripped the radical rightist group, writes government-friendly daily Népszabadság. The daily has written that there are now two guards, with each blaming the... [read complete entry]

September 22, 2008, 02:12 CET

Hungarian Guard's "general" resigns post in protest

István Dósa, the "general commander" of the far-right militia Magyar Gárda, has resigned, claiming that the leaders of the Jobbik party have betrayed the whole movement.... [read complete entry]

September 01, 2008, 10:27 CET

Krisztina Morvai to head Jobbik list at EP elections

The lawyer will embark on a country-wide tour this month in preparation for next year's elections. [read complete entry]

July 25, 2008, 08:55 CET

Thousands protest removal of Turul statue

Skinheads clash as up to 2,500 demonstrate in favor of controversial nationalist symbol in Buda. [read complete entry]

June 27, 2008, 09:37 CET

Jobbik commences social welfare referendum campaign

Right-wing party presents signature sheets to election office. [read complete entry]

March 17, 2008, 10:39 CET

Rioters clash with police in Budapest on national holiday

Rioters smashed cars, injured journalists and fought with police following a demonstration by the Hungarian Self-Defence Movement on Blaha Lujza tér Saturday evening. Violence erupted after far right activist György Budaházy told the nearly 5,000 people to march to the... [read complete entry]

March 11, 2008, 10:10 CET

Founders quit far-right party Jobbik over Hungarian Guard

Three founding members of the radical right-wing Jobbik party, including former chairman Dávid Kovács, have left the party, declaring that it has become too radical. They particularly cited the creation of the quasi-military Magyar Gárda.... [read complete entry]

December 13, 2007, 10:35 CET

President condemns Hungarian Guard amid wider calls

In an open letter, President László Sólyom condemned the anti-Gypsy march held by the Hungarian Guard over the weekend. [read complete entry]