logo
Police in Hungary stand ready to prevent repeat of Antifa attacks

Police in Hungary stand ready to prevent repeat of Antifa attacks

Budapest Times28-01-2025

Bence Rétvári said Hungary found any attempt to mount a manhunt on the streets of Budapest "intolerable", and all means would be used to prevent attacks and protect the Hungarian people.
Police in Hungary stand ready to prevent any repeat of the Antifa attacks that took place two years ago.
State Secretary Bence Rétvári made the announcement on Monday in connection to anti-fascist actions expected on February 11, the anniversary of the day in 1945, when surrounded Nazi soldiers, attempted to break out of the Buda Castle.
'The Antifa movement wants to tear down today's social order and sees violence as an acceptable way of doing so,' Rétvári told a press conference, adding that beating someone to a pulp could not be justified by any ideology. Police will be out in force to prevent any violent actions, he added.
He said Hungary found any attempt to mount a manhunt on the streets of Budapest 'intolerable', and all means would be used to prevent attacks and protect the Hungarian people.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Kocsis: MPs won't hold vote on transparency law before the summer
Kocsis: MPs won't hold vote on transparency law before the summer

Budapest Times

time17 hours ago

  • Budapest Times

Kocsis: MPs won't hold vote on transparency law before the summer

Máté Kocsis, the Fidesz parliamentary group leader, said the transparency law will not be included on the legislative committee's agenda and MPs will not hold a vote on it before the summer. Kocsis told news portal Index on Wednesday that Fidesz was united behind making use of a law to protect sovereignty, but a debate was underway about what form the relevant legislation should take. A debate on the transparency law will be postponed until the autumn, and professional organisations will be consulted on its contents in the meantime, he added. Besides proposals from Fidesz MPs, the Hungarian Banking Association, the Hungarian Advertising Association, the presidential Sándor Palace, the Hungarian Bar Association and the Hungarian Newspaper Publishers Association have stated their views too, he added. Fidesz believes at the same time, that professional organisations such as organisations financed from abroad, 'pseudo-civil groups' and media actors that would fall under the scope of the law would not have a say in the drafting of the legislation, he said. They had generally sent 'ad hominem criticisms' rather than constructive suggestions, he said, and these 'cannot be taken into account in the legislative process'. Kocsis referred to the 'Ukrainian espionage case', saying it was 'a good example of why sovereignty must be protected'. He insisted that 'Ukrainian propaganda' was based on 'fake recordings' that had led to the false impression that Hungary was readying itself 'for military aggression against Ukraine'. Far from being the case, the case 'highlights that disinformation campaigns are indeed taking place' against Hungary, Kocsis added. Such disinformation, he added, did not just appear from abroad but in certain parts of the Hungarian press too. The Fidesz politician said that whereas protecting sovereignty was a decisive issue in the long term, it was important to clarify what means could be used to combat it. Disinformation campaigns related to the Russia-Ukraine war and other matters related to sovereignty protection would probably end up being handled separately, he said. Fidesz MP János Halász submitted the bill on the Transparency of Public Life to parliament in mid-May, and it would open up the possibility of blacklisting organisations financed from abroad that threaten Hungary's sovereignty.

Orbán: We must take Brussels while the emperor wages war
Orbán: We must take Brussels while the emperor wages war

Budapest Times

time17 hours ago

  • Budapest Times

Orbán: We must take Brussels while the emperor wages war

PM Orbán used the gathering to deliver a comprehensive and critical assessment of Brussels' current political and military posture, especially concerning the war in Ukraine and its implications for Hungarian sovereignty and the wider region. 'A real hussar's trick is needed,' declared the prime minister. 'While the emperor wages war, we must take Brussels; while Brussels prepares for war, we must strengthen Europe's anti-war initiatives.' He argued that the EU, once legitimized by its promise of peace and prosperity, has now lost its way. 'This is no longer the European Union we joined,' he said. 'The legendary quality of life in the West is gone.' Central to PM Orbán's critique was what he called Brussels' 'war policy,' which he claims has inflated energy prices, drained investment funds, and pushed the continent towards militarization. 'War has made everything more expensive,' he said, 'and now they want to solve economic problems through increased arms spending.' He described the EU's economic cycle as 'Brussels gives weapons to Ukraine, Ukraine buys them with EU loans, and Brussels buys Ukrainian goods,' asserting that this is not genuine economic growth but a 'war-based economic cycle.' He was especially candid about Ukraine's EU integration. 'Integrating Ukraine would break the Hungarian economy,' he warned. 'Full integration would cost €2.5 trillion over several years — 12 times the EU's current annual budget.' Beyond that, he noted, 'running Ukraine already costs €100 billion annually. For Hungary, this would be a burden of HUF 20 trillion.' On European centralization, PM Orbán said that Brussels is using the war as a pretext to grab more power. 'This is a coup,' he said. 'They want to eliminate national sovereignty and establish the United States of Europe.' He said that EU institutions are 'interfering in elections, monitoring sovereigntist parties, shutting down right-wing events, and financing federalist and pro-war fake civil society and media across Europe.' He further warned against new fiscal mechanisms proposed by Brussels: 'They want direct EU taxation, taking €37 billion a year from member states. They'd take money meant for our farmers and regional development and funnel it into the war effort.' Addressing Hungary's geopolitical role, PM Orbán emphasized regional cooperation. 'We must not join the Franco-German axis—we must strengthen the Visegrád cooperation,' he said, highlighting Poland's recent presidential election as 'particularly encouraging.' He envisioned a robust Central Europe that can 'block Brussels' federalist and pro-war agenda.' Finally, he reiterated his opposition to Hungary becoming a 'migrant country' and stressed the strategic importance of maintaining the Hungarian language and identity in the Carpathian Basin. 'The task is to teach 1 million people Hungarian over the next decade,' he said, adding that peaceful coexistence with neighbors is essential but must not come 'at the cost of national interest.' 'Our mission is clear,' concluded PM Orbán. 'Brussels must not sit on our necks. We stayed, they fell. But the wounds suffered by the Hungarian nation from the (last) empire have not yet healed. Let's not ask for a repeat—especially not in a Brussels uniform.'

State Secretary marks anniversary of post-WWI Trianon Peace Treaty
State Secretary marks anniversary of post-WWI Trianon Peace Treaty

Budapest Times

time2 days ago

  • Budapest Times

State Secretary marks anniversary of post-WWI Trianon Peace Treaty

During a commemoration marking the anniversary of the post-WWI Trianon Peace Treaty, held at the Hungarian embassy in Washington on Tuesday, Boglárka Illés, state secretary at the foreign ministry, said it is not enough to remember the losses; one should also see the strength of the Hungarian nation. Illés said 'at least three generations have grown up ' since 1920, when the treaty concluded the world war, and 'the strength of the Hungarian nation is manifested by the fact that despite all attempts by the great powers it has survived and demonstrates unity.' The official noted that the US has the largest community of the Hungarian diaspora, adding that 'Hungarian communities not only exist but they have created a Hungarian world of their own, too.' Concerning her talks with US State Department officials, Illés told MTI that 'a position supporting peace links Hungary and the US. 'We appreciate endeavours by the US president and US administration to promote peace,' she said. During her talks, she said she had informed her partners about the Hungarian government's child protection measures, family policy, and border control regime. The state secretary also met Republican congressmen and visited the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. She also met Stephen Schneider, international director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and noted the Hungarian government's policy of zero tolerance for anti-Semitism and support for Israel's right to self-defense.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store