political unrest

February 03, 2010, 10:04 CET

Far-right activist Budaházy fined for criminal damage

Pest Central District Court fined activist György Budaházy and another defendant Ft 500,000 plus Ft 300,000 costs on Tuesday for vandalising the Soviet memorial on Szabadság tér in October 2006. Budaházy and his defence lawyer immediately lodged an appeal, while... [read complete entry]

January 18, 2010, 10:42 CET

Raiders to TV headquarters in 2006 sentenced

One person was sentenced to imprisonment, seven others were given suspended prison terms for their part in violent protests in 2006, in which rioters occupied the headquarters of Hungarian Television, a Budapest court said on Friday. On the night of... [read complete entry]

January 12, 2010, 03:06 CET

Attackers in 2006 siege of MTV headquarters in dock

The criminal prosecutor proposed suspended prison sentences for 8 defendants who took part in the siege of Hungarian state television MTV headquarters on September 18, 2006 in a trial on Monday. The prosecutor also proposed fining a ninth defendant and... [read complete entry]

December 22, 2009, 10:29 CET

New details over secret recording of former PM's infamous speech

Former prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's speech to Socialist MPs at Balatonőszöd in May 2006, was recorded within the building, not by anyone with a listening device outside the building, MTV1 News reported. The leak of the speech in September of... [read complete entry]

December 08, 2009, 10:11 CET

Slovak cultural institute in Budapest damaged in attack by vandal

Hungary's Foreign Ministry condemns the vandalisation of Slovakia's cultural institute in Budapest, Foreign Minister Peter Balazs told MTI on Monday. The minister, who is currently staying in Brussels, said, that "the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Hungary firmly condemns... [read complete entry]

December 07, 2009, 09:25 CET

Far-right activist Budaházy sentenced under watch of hundreds of police

The Supreme Court on Thursday approved its binding court ruling that far-right activist György Budaházy should perform 30 days of community service for his role in the Elisabeth Bridge blockade of 2002. Budaházy entered the court in handcuffs, as he... [read complete entry]

November 23, 2009, 09:02 CET

Bajnai defends police crackdown on far-right groups

Hungary's government makes every effort to secure order and expects the same from the police, Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said on Saturday. "What happened in Sajobabony last weekend truly demonstrated that incitement to hatred and provocation represent an increasing threat... [read complete entry]

November 23, 2009, 08:32 CET

Police face off against Magyar Gárda at memorial march for interwar leader

A march organised by the far-right Jobbik party marking the 90th anniversary of the procession of Regent Miklós Horthy into Budapest took place in the 11th District on Sunday. Police prevented units of the outlawed Magyar Gárda from following the... [read complete entry]

November 02, 2009, 11:23 CET

Gyurcsány addresses Socialist Party session in first post-PM appearance

Former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany addressed a session of his minority governing Socialist Party on Friday, on the occasion of the party's 20th anniversary. Gyurcsany, who made his first public appearance since he resigned in March, called on the Socialists... [read complete entry]

October 05, 2009, 12:19 CET

Prison sentences handed out for 2006 attack on TV building

The Central District Court of Budapest, acting as a court of first instance, on Friday handed out prison sentences to six people involved in the siege of the headquarters of Hungarian Television (MTV) in central Budapest three years ago. One... [read complete entry]

August 14, 2009, 10:59 CET

Ministry drafting new rules for police action against demonstrators

A supplement to the police decree on dispersing crowds, now being drafted at the Justice and Law Enforcement Ministry, proposes that demonstrators who resist police instructions should primarily be stopped and that police may only strike or kick demonstrators as... [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 13, 2009, 11:13 CET

Bajnai honors policemen for handling of "illegal" right-wing protests

Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai on Friday honoured eight policemen for controlling the situation at a July 4 demonstration in support of the banned radical nationalist Hungarian Guard, the government spokesman's office told MTI in a statement. The prime minister decided... [read complete entry]

July 09, 2009, 10:42 CET

Poll finds Hungarians evenly split on Magyar Gárda ban

Half of those asked in a recent survey welcomed a court decision banning the radical nationalist Hungarian Guard, one third of the respondents, however, thought that the police's reaction to a subsequent pro-Guard demonstration was much too harsh, the national... [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 19, 2009, 09:24 CET

National Security Office part of crackdown on anti-government agitator

The National Security Office (NBH) had from the start closely co-operated with the National Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday's arrest of György Budaházy, the Prime Minister's Office's National Security Bureau told MTI on Thursday. Budaházy and several others are suspected... [read complete entry]

June 18, 2009, 09:37 CET

Budaházy, key far-right activist, taken into custody on terrorism charges

Far-right activist György Budaházy was arrested on suspicion of committing a terrorist act and on two counts of planning a manslaughter on Wednesday afternoon, Central Investigative Prosecutor General's Office spokesman Géza Fazekas announced. Police had originally planned to arrest Budaházy... [read complete entry]

June 12, 2009, 09:42 CET

Complaints board says police action against demonstrators improper

Hungary's Independent Police Complaints Authority has concluded that the police had breached rules of conduct when apprehending two men at a commemoration of the March 15 national holiday, according to a report sent to MTI on Thursday. The authority has... [read complete entry]

June 08, 2009, 09:35 CET

Police arrest man for burning EU flag near Parliament

The Budapest police (BRFK) arrested a man on Sunday for setting fire to a European Union flag near the Parliament building, BRFK said on its web page. The man, referred to as Karoly F., and others gathered near Kossuth Square... [read complete entry]

May 25, 2009, 10:10 CET

Ombudsman denounces police conduct at March 15 demonstrations

Police officers humiliated people detained in Budapest on March 15, civil rights ombudsman Máté Szabó informed MTI on Sunday after his staff conducted an inquiry into the arrests of protestors on Kossuth tér. Measures taken against demonstrators on Kossuth tér... [read complete entry]

May 22, 2009, 09:59 CET

Shots reportedly fired at anti-government activist

An unidentified person reportedly fired three shots at NGO Regime Changing Forum founder Károly Fáber near his flat in the 23rd District on Wednesday evening. Fáber told right-wing daily Magyar Hírlap on Thursday that the first bullet hit a brick... [read complete entry]

May 21, 2009, 09:58 CET

Two Jobbik offices vandalized in Budapest

Unidentified people damaged two Jobbik party offices in Budapest early Wednesday, party spokesman Előd Novák told the state news agency MTI. He said the vandalised offices were the Jobbik headquarters on Villányi út in Budapest's 11th District, and an office... [read complete entry]

May 11, 2009, 08:11 CET

Neo-Nazi group holds militia training in West Hungary

The Hungarian National Front (MNA), a self-professed Neo-Nazi organisation, held militia training near Gyor (NW Hungary) earlier in the month, national daily Nepszabadsag reported on Friday.... [read complete entry]

May 05, 2009, 09:51 CET

Parliament rights committee head gives justice minister ceremonial "boot"

Fidesz MP Zoltán Balog, tried to give Justice and Law Enforcement Minister Tibor Draskovics a police boot on behalf of the NGO Szabadság Kör in Parliament yesterday, to recall police brutality since 2006, and alleged violation of human rights at... [read complete entry]

April 27, 2009, 07:51 CET

Security chief says Hungary home to "several dozen" political terrorists

What was once suspected is now known, namely, Hungary is home to a small number of political terrorists, according to the country's security chief. Sandor Laborc, the head of the National Security Office, told Saturday's Nepszabadsag daily that there is... [read complete entry]

April 20, 2009, 09:41 CET

Former home of justice minister set on fire

The former house of Justice Minister Tibor Draskovics was set on fire in Budapest early Saturday, police said.... [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]

April 14, 2009, 11:53 CET

No need to worry, it's just a terrorist onslaught

So is it just me, or does the reaction in Hungary to the recent surge in planned and executed attacks on government officials seem weirdly muted? On Friday, just before everyone took off for the three-day weekend, Justice Minister Tibor... [read complete entry]

April 14, 2009, 09:49 CET

Two MSZP offices hit by petrol bomb attacks

Petrol bombs were thrown into two offices of the governing Socialist Party early on Tuesday, a local party official said.... [read complete entry]

April 14, 2009, 09:45 CET

Demonstrations planned around afternoon vote on new PM

Speaker Katalin Szili on Friday rejected a request put forward from the Civil Unity Forum umbrella group to let its representatives address MPs in Tuesday’s debate on the constructive no-confidence motion. The group is organising a large protest to be... [read complete entry]

April 08, 2009, 12:07 CET

Fidesz activist allegedly assaulted while canvassing in Budapest

Fidesz council member Katalin Gubicza is vowing to file assault charges after a security guard threw her out of a Budapest apartment building some days ago as she was disseminating Fidesz European election campaign leaflets.... [read complete entry]

April 06, 2009, 10:25 CET

Thousands protest in Budapest in favor of early elections

A crowd estimated at 25,000-60,000 converged on Heroes Square Sunday afternoon to demand early elections. The vast square was filled to overflowing, with people standing on the steps of the Fine Arts and Műcsarnok galleries, and a crowd extending along... [read complete entry]

March 31, 2009, 10:43 CET

Conservative groups plan "huge" anti-government protest on April 5th

A group of conservative civil groups plan to mount a "huge" demonstration in Budapest's Heroes' Square on April 5, the day the minority governing Socialist party plans to officially designate a new prime minister, Nepszabadsag daily said on Tuesday.... [read complete entry]

March 31, 2009, 08:03 CET

Jobbik holds demonstration against Bajnai appointment

Some 250 sympathizers of the radical nationalist Jobbik party gathered in front of Budapest's Parliament building on Monday evening to protest against the prime minister candidacy of economy minister Gordon Bajnai.... [read complete entry]

March 23, 2009, 04:19 CET

Police close off area around Gyurcsány's home, citing protests

Police have closed off the area surrounding Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany's home in the capital's upmarket second district, the national police force (ORFK) said on Monday.... [read complete entry]

March 18, 2009, 08:41 CET

Jobbik claims candidate for European Parliament victim of police brutality

Radical right-wing Jobbik party called a weekend incident against its EP election head a "political conspiracy" at a press conference in Budapest on Tuesday.... [read complete entry]

March 16, 2009, 09:25 CET

Police arrest 35 in March 15th disturbances

Police said late Sunday night that they had detained 35 people for violating the right of assembly, using force against officials and carrying dangerous items. They also arrested some who were disturbing the peace.... [read complete entry]

March 16, 2009, 08:39 CET

Jobbik holds large rally in Downtown Budapest

Some 4,000-5,000 people attended a rally held by the far right Jobbik party on Deák tér Sunday afternoon, many waving the red-and-white-striped "Árpád flags" as the party launched its European Parliament election campaign.... [read complete entry]

February 24, 2009, 09:59 CET

Spontaneous anti-government rally draws hundreds to Parliament

A spontaneous rally at the square in front of Hungary's Parliament ended peacefully on Monday evening after parliament had voted down motions to dissolve itself.... [read complete entry]

January 19, 2009, 09:37 CET

Rubber bullet victim granted police compensation

Hungarian police have paid 4.5 million forints (EUR 17,000) to a man who was hit by a rubber bullet and lost an eye during an opposition Fidesz party rally in October 2006, news portal Index.hu reported on Friday.... [read complete entry]

December 11, 2008, 09:49 CET

Ombudsman faults police on Oct. 23 commemorations

Police violated six fundamental rights during the October 23 commemorations this year, civil rights ombudsman Máté Szabó said in a report issued on Wednesday.... [read complete entry]

November 28, 2008, 07:53 CET

Justice minister says Slovak response over police brutality charge disappointing

The Slovak interior minister's response to the Slovak police's brutal assault at a football match in Dunajska Streda is disappointing, Hungarian Justice Minister Tibor Draskovics told MTI in Brussels on Thursday.... [read complete entry]

November 21, 2008, 12:06 CET

Concern as "white powder" packages show up at Socialist Party offices

Following reports that an MSZP office in Debrecen received a box containing white powder, similar incidents have occurred in Újpest, District XII and the Fejér County MSZP offices, zoom.hu reports.... [read complete entry]

November 12, 2008, 08:13 CET

Slovak President proposes talks with Hungarian counterpart over extremism

Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic proposed talks with his Hungarian counterpart Laszlo Solyom over Hungarian-Slovak relations, during a visit to Poland on Tuesday, Slovakia's news agency TASR reported.... [read complete entry]

November 11, 2008, 02:04 CET

MPs approve changes to public order law; aim to contain political unrest

Hungary's parliament has approved changes to the law on public order, tightening punitive measures for vandalism and hooliganism, an MP for Hungary's governing Socialist party told the press on Tuesday.... [read complete entry]

November 07, 2008, 12:33 CET

Court grants Ft 1 million to man kept in custody after 2006 riots

The Regional Court of Appeal of Budapest (Fővárosi Ítélőtábla) has ruled that the Budapest Police and the successor of the former police commando squad Rebisz have to pay a total of Ft 1 million (€3,800) to a man kept in... [read complete entry]

October 27, 2008, 08:14 CET

Magyar Gárda inducts 400 new recruits

The Magyar Garda, the militia arm of the radical rightwing political party Jobbik, inducted 400 new recruits -- children among them -- in a ceremony in downtown Budapest on Saturday.... [read complete entry]

October 22, 2008, 04:42 CET

Gyurcsány warns of financial impact of political unrest

Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany has warned Hungarians to commemorate the failed 1956 revolution on October 23 in an atmosphere of "peace and calm", since images suggesting disorder in the country could have an impact on investor sentiment abroad.... [read complete entry]

October 22, 2008, 02:04 CET

New surveys suggest Hungarians much more sensible than they will seem during tomorrow's riots

A couple of new public opinion surveys have been released in advance of tomorrow's October 23rd holiday, no doubt because of the day's increasing association with political unrest. Happily, both polls suggest that Hungarians are a lot more reasonable than... [read complete entry]

September 18, 2008, 08:31 CET

Budapest garage becomes national security issue

Construction of an underground parking garage below Kossuth tér can only be built in a special public procurement procedure, Parliament's national security committee decided on Wednesday.... [read complete entry]

September 18, 2008, 08:28 CET

Large political demonstrations expected for Saturday in Budapest

Saturday will see large demonstrations by the left and right in various points of Budapest. The Hungarian Democratic Charta, formed at the initiative of Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, will stage its first rally at 3 p.m. at Clark Ádám tér,... [read complete entry]

September 17, 2008, 03:16 CET

Demszky donates egg-stained coat to museum, likely to get more egg on face

Widely-loathed Budapest Mayor Gábor Demszky has donated some clothing damaged when he was pelted with eggs by demonstrators during his March 15 public speech, to the Budapest History Museum, write tabloid borsonline.hu. According to the Mayor's Office, the museum asked... [read complete entry]

July 09, 2008, 10:33 CET

Fidesz, SZDSZ lash out at Prime Minister's planned "anti-extremist" rally

Leading conservative, liberal parties say they will likely stay away from event suggested by Gyurcsány, and dismissed calls for a "Hungarian Charter" against extremism. [read complete entry]

May 28, 2008, 10:40 CET

MTV siege trial begins

A total of 39 defendants accused of taking part in the ransacking of the Hungarian Television headquarters 2006 went on trial at Pest Central District Court on Tuesday. [read complete entry]

May 14, 2008, 12:03 CET

Tough economic times call for attractive national leaders

Recently, much fluff has been made about the new Berlusconi government in Italy, and that the new Minister of Equal Opportunities over there is 34-year old Mara Carfagna, a former Miss Italy finalist and also a former showgirl, who also... [read complete entry]

May 06, 2008, 09:52 CET

Ministry clarifies new rules on "spontaneous" rallies

Until new legislation is enacted, the police will retain power to break up demonstrations not announced in advance. [read complete entry]

April 21, 2008, 09:01 CET

Gyurcsány admits he's been physically attacked five times in last 18 months, says it's only "natural"

In the latest indication of how "polarizing" (i.e., widely loathed) a figure Ferenc Gyurcsány is, Hungary's hapless premier and the head of the country's "government guard" confirmed over the weekend that Gyurcsi had been the subject of physical attacks... [read complete entry]

March 31, 2008, 10:24 CET

Man apprehended in E-mail threat against Orbán

The Budapest police on Sunday apprehended a 47-year-old man who had earlier sent an email to their headquarter threatening opposition leader Viktor Orbán, reports Nethírlap. Fidesz spokesman András Cser-Palkovics said on Saturday that the police had informed the party about... [read complete entry]

March 18, 2008, 12:20 CET

Man held responsible for instigating March 15 violence still at large

Police have not been able to capture György Budaházy, the man held responsible for encouraging violence in the streets by holding a speech in Budapest on the March 15 national holiday. Proceedings have been launched against him for misusing the... [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 17, 2008, 09:07 CET

Demszky pelted with eggs, stones during his March 15 speech

Protesters threw eggs and stones at mayor Gábor Demszky for the second consecutive year as he delivered his March 15 speech at the Petőfi statue downtown on Saturday afternoon. As last year, security personnel held umbrellas to shelter the mayor... [read complete entry]

March 10, 2008, 09:21 CET

Hundreds take to streets, demanding government resign

Some 500 people converged on Vértanuk tere after the referendum ended Sunday evening to call for the resignation of the government. Nearby Kossuth tér was completely sealed off by police early Sunday. Some 2,000 riot police were nearby to contain... [read complete entry]

February 04, 2008, 09:06 CET

Court grants compensation to protester beaten by policemen

A man who was brutally beaten by policemen during the riots in Budapest in October 2006, has been granted Ft 500,000 (roughly €2,000) in compensation, reports right-wing daily Magyar Nemzet. The court has also obliged the police department to admit... [read complete entry]

January 31, 2008, 10:10 CET

Court acquits Kuruc.info rabble rouser Budaházy

The Budapest Court (FB) has acquitted György Budaházy, publicly known since the 2002 blockade of Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge), reports news portal Hírszerző.hu. Proceedings had been launched against him for 13 pieces of writing published mostly on far-right portal kuruc.info... [read complete entry]

January 24, 2008, 10:37 CET

National Security Office accused of deceiving public over right to assembly

The National Security Office (Nemzetbiztonsági Hivatal; NBH) overstepped its power and misled citizens when it released a statement in 2006 stating that even passive participation in demonstrations constitutes a crime, Citizen Rights Ombudsman Máté Szabó said.... [read complete entry]

November 29, 2007, 11:59 CET

Is Katalin Szili's dissent a silly farce, or a genuine revolt in the making?

Katalin Szili's increasingly vocal criticisms of her party have raised the question of whether this is merely the airing of differences or the the beginnings of a power struggle within the Socialist Party. [read complete entry]

November 28, 2007, 11:38 CET

Study on PM's leaked speech to be kept under wraps

A 180-page study on the media response to Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's infamous Balatonőszöd speech will be made available to journalists but not to the public at large. [read complete entry]