Hungarian Protests Against European Union, Backing Government in the Row

Demonstrators burning EU flag

In an another important development in Eastern Europe, hundreds of thousands of Hungarians came out on the streets to protest against the European Union's attitude towards their government and head of the state, Prime Minister Victor Orban.

The protest labelled as " Peace parade for Hungary " is the largest rally since the government assumed the power in May 2010. Indicating that the majority of the countrymen are with their government in the row with European Union.

The European Commission - the EU's executive arm - has opened legal proceedings against Hungary over reforms like the independence of the national central bank, the retirement age of judges, and the independence of the country's data protection authority aiming to prop up its battered forint currency and keep access to financial markets. The commission is also seeking more information in regard to the independence of the judiciary, said the president of The European Commission, Barroso.

The Commission launched an infringement procedure against Hungary on Tuesday, the first stage of which is a warning calling for changes to the controversial laws, Infringement proceedings are a step preceding legal action, intended to enable a state to make changes to conform with EU law rather than be taken to court.

Barroso had written to Orban in December requesting him the withdrawal of two recent bills related to the country's financial stability and the central bank. The prime minister of Hungary, Orban had then rejected the requests.

The Commission can go as far as imposing fines and taking Hungary to the European Court of Justice. Both the European Union and International Monetary Fund have said they will refuse to extend aid to Hungary, which is struggling financially, unless the government in Budapest guarantees the independence of the central bank. The process could lead to Hungary losing voting rights in Brussels, not to mention bankruptcy if the EU torpedoes Hungary’s bid for an urgently needed financial bailout.

Hungarian Prime Minister, Orban is travelling to Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday to try to come out with a political agreement with EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, in order to be able to start formal talks with the EU and International Monetary Fund about a loan deal worth $25 billion (20bn euros) to service its debts which Hungary wanted to secure from a while back. Hungary's total debt has risen to 82% of its output, while its currency, the forint, has fallen to record lows against the euro.

Orban has faced domestic protests against him demanding his resignation for passing anti democratic bills, Tens of thousands of people protested against the new constitution in Budapest earlier this month. The demonstration lasted only mere five hours and was organized by opposition parties and civil society groups.

But the current protests in Hungary are pro government in Orban's support, demonstrating anger against the European Union.

Deputy PM Zsolt Semjén told hard-right station Lánchíd Rádió that he knows the government has made “millions and millions of mistakes but I believe that there were no strategic errors committed”, and attacks against Hungary have no factual basis whatsoever.

Semjén said Hungary should respond much more strongly to criticism because it is unacceptable for certain politicians in the European Union to attack the country on issues that are more strictly regulated in their own countries.

According to Gábor Vona, the leader of the radical right Jobbik, Hungary should secede from the European Union. Responding to it Semjén said it is rational for Hungary to exercise its rights within the 27-member bloc. But the real question is what would happen the day after Hungary leaves the EU? “There are two wrong ideas about this issue,” Semjén said. “One belongs to the liberal side, which looks at the EU as a goal of Hungary. The other error is being hostile towards international organisations due to certain emotional reasons. I can understand the latter to a certain extent but if we are not with the EU, where are we? Are we to be a part of Russian interests or do we hover in the no man’s land between the EU and Russia?”

Protesters on the streets of Budapest, (c) AFP

The protesters in a single voice told Reuters that they won't bow down to West. "We won't be a dominion, we don't want to be a colony," news magazine editor Andras Bencsik told the crowd. "This is our message to those abroad. "The other is we fully support Viktor Orban, and we are proud of what we achieved at the 2010 elections."

"They have shown the political left that the street does not belong to them," Politics analyst Zoltan Kiszelly told Reuters. "And they have sent a message to the government's partners abroad to stop trying to tell us what to do, the government is doing fine."

"The way the Italian or the Greek governments were removed will not work in Hungary, and early elections are out of the question with this kind of public support."

The common people of Hungary are enraged with the behaviour of leaders of EU against their prime minister. "This is no way to negotiate, this is no attitude to any country."

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