Montreal: October 23, 2014: The Canadian Hungarian Democratic Charter, which is a non-partisan civil-rights group registered in Montreal, addressed a detailed memorandum today to the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr. Stephen Harper and to Canadian Foreign Minister, Mr.John Baird, about the flagrant rule of law violations committed by the Hungarian government of Viktor Orbán.
The memorandum comes on the eve of the 58th anniversary of Hungary’s revolution against Russian domination and coincides with the visit to Canada by the current Foreign Minister of Hungary, Mr Péter Szijjártó. The CHDC’s memorandum to the Canadian government expresses deep concerns about the anti-democratic behaviour of the Orbán government and about its activities in Canada.
It welcomes the Harper government’s principled stand on the necessity of upholding the rule of law and democratic governance within the trans-Atlantic community but demands that resolute action must now follow in the case of regimes that do not respect the values of the community.
The abuse of the rule of law, by the Orbán government is well documented. The CHDC along with other politically non-partisan bodies in Hungary, such as the Hungarian Europe Society and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, have frequently spoken out about the Orbán government’s abuse of the rule of law, and of civil liberties in Hungary. (see for example, “Indictment” at www.hungariancharter.com)
At the end of June, this year, Prime Minister Orbán publicly announced that his goal is to establish an “illiberal” state in Hungary, patterned on the Russian and Chinese models of governance. The CHDC asks that Prime Minister Harper join other Western leaders, such as the late Vaclav Havel, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Angela Merkel, and register Canada’s displeasure with Hungary’s disrespect of our common values.
The CHDC also spoke up against Hungary’s efforts to silence and intimidate those Canadian-Hungarians who are critical of the Orbán government in Canada. “Some of us have received death-threats for our efforts to defend Canada’s democratic heritage. All of these efforts are designed to silence and intimidate those Canadian-Hungarians who are critical of the Orbán government. They have only one purpose – to white-wash the antidemocratic nature of the Orbán regime” said Concordia Professor András B. Göllner, Founder and International Spokesperson of the CHDC. “The only way Hungary can be brought back into the community of nations that respect and uphold the rule of law” said Dr Göllner, „is to hold Hungary’s current political leaders accountable for their actions”.
What needs to be done? A few days ago the Obama administration announced that it will refuse entry to some of Hungary’s highest State officials, including the Director of the Hungarian National Revenue Service (NAV) as part of an intensified U.S. focus on combating corruption, which the US government rightly identifies as a fundamental obstacle to good governance, transparency and democratic values. The European Parliament will also address in Strasbourg the anti-democratic behavior of the Hungarian government. The CHDC urges the Canadian government to be equally vigilant. According to Transparency
International, corruption skyrocketed in Hungary under the Orbán government. Questions are being raised about Mr Szijjártó’s own suddenly apparent riches. The Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office has taken over the control of one of Hungary’s important Banks, the MKB, and relationships between the government, the Hungarian Development Bank and the National Bank of Hungary are also the subject of increasingly closer foreign scrutiny. As in Russia, Hungary’s pro-government oligarchs play a critical role in the advance of anti-democratic initiatives in that country. While they thrive, Hungary’s poverty rate is at its highest level. Like the USA, the Canadian government should also pay closer attention to the off-shore expansion of Hungary’s corrupt oligarchs. “While we applaud the Canadian government’s granting of political refugee status last year to the internationally acclaimed Jewish-Hungarian writer, Mr Ákos Kertész, who was the target of a vicious hate campaign co-ordinated by the Hungarian government, we need to do much more than this.” urges the CHDC.
In their memorandum to Mr Harper, the CHDC spokespersons, who are all eminent Canadian academics, argue that Canada should name and shame rogue regimes within the North-Atlantic community who willfully and systematically abuse the community’s common values. “But to stop this menace”, they say, “words must be followed by actions. Only resolute action can maintain the confidence of Europe’s and North America’s citizens in our ability and will to sustain our democratic way of life”. Rogue leaders such as Mr. Orbán must be made to answer for their anti-democratic behavior. They should be kept at arms length, kept off our nation’s “guest list.” Their lobbyists in Canada should be carefully scrutinized. The financial and political privileges of member states in the trans-Atlantic community that deliberately disregard their treaty obligations need to be curtailed. Canadian or European taxpayers’ moneys should not be used to finance corrupt regimes.
If these regimes continue to violate the values that the democratic community has sworn to uphold, they should be sent packing. The CHDC called upon Mr. Harper to work with his colleagues in the G8 community and with leaders of the EU, to stamp out any and all efforts that threaten democratic governance and the rule of law. “The failure to respect universally valid democratic principles has an impact far beyond the borders of Hungary. The virus of autocracy does not recognize international borders and is capable of setting off an international pandemic. Tolerance of antidemocratic governments such as Orbán’s will simply demonstrate to other would be autocrats that the road is open towards autocracy in Europe and the rest of the world. We must not allow this to happen.”
The Canadian – Hungarian Democratic Charter is a non-partisan, global, civil rights advocacy group, based in Montreal, Canada. It is not affiliated with any political party. It was launched on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Hungarian people’s heroic uprising against communist tyranny. According to its founders, “The initiative is a salute and tribute to the example and sacrifices that Hungarians have made to promote and uphold universally valid democratic principles. We hope, our efforts will help the citizens of Hungary to once again enjoy the fruits of their past and current sacrifices. We are committed to helping them to regain the respect their country may have suffered as a consequence of the self-serving, predatory actions of their current leaders. Our efforts are undertaken in solidarity with the friends of democracy wherever they may be”
Dr. András B. Göllner, Founder and International Spokesperson
***
Dear Prime Minister Harper, Dear Foreign Minister Baird:
On the eve of Hungarian Foreign Minister Mr Péter Szijjártó’s visit to Canada, we would like to take this opportunity to share with you our deep concerns about the anti-democratic behavior of the current Hungarian government and about its activities in Canada. The latter are designed to restrict the civil liberties of Canadian citizens. As Founders and Spokespersons of the non-partisan Canadian civil rights organization, The Canadian Hungarian Democratic Charter, we are taking this initiative in recognition of the exemplary and clear stand of the Canadian government in defense of the rule of law, and of those values that so many Canadians have given their lives to defend over the past century.
Foreign Minister Baird’s recent public statement are particularly encouraging to all of us. “Stability”, said Mr Baird in a recent public statement, “has in the past been a watchword for autocrats who seek to justify their top-down control…But we know that this is a superficial stability…Democracy is not just about elections. The most stable countries are those that are open and democratic…Societies that fail to develop democratic checks and balances, transparency and accountability, and freedom of expression, contribute to instability and risks of conflict…Just look at Russia…The decline of the Russian Federation’s democratic space in recent years has contributed to a leader who is increasingly insulated from reality..Successful and enduring societies of the 21st century are not built on strongmen and secrecy. They are rooted in democratic norms and standards, independent institutions, the rule of law and accountable, representative governments”.
Canada’s position on the rule of law is fully congruent with that of the European Union, as seen from the recent proclamation of the European Commission, “The rule of law is the backbone of any modern constitutional democracy. It is one of the founding principles stemming from the common constitutional traditions of all the Member States of the EU and, as such, one of the main values upon which the Union is based… respect for the rule of law is a precondition for EU membership. Along with democracy and human rights, the rule of law is also one of the three pillars of the Council of Europe and is endorsed in the Preamble to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The confidence of all EU citizens and national authorities in the legal systems of all other Member States is vital for the functioning of the whole EU as “an area of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers.”
The abuse of the rule of law, by the Orbán government is well documented. Our civil-rights group, along with other politically non-partisan bodies in Hungary, such as the Hungarian Europe Society and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, have frequently spoken out about the Orbán government’s abuse of the rule of law, and of civil liberties in Hungary. (see for example, “Indictment” at www.hungariancharter.com) At the end of June, this year, Prime Minister Orbán publicly announced that his goal is to establish an “illiberal” state in Hungary, patterned on the Russian and Chinese models of governance. We ask you to join other Western leaders, such as Vaclav Havel, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Angela Merkel, and register Canada’s displeasure with this betrayal of our common values.
We would also like to ask the government to push-back firmly against any efforts by the Hungarian government to export its anti-democratic revolution to our shores. These efforts are designed to silence and intimidate those Canadian-Hungarians who are critical of the Orbán government and have only one purpose – to white-wash the antidemocratic nature of the Orbán regime. Hardly a week goes by without a high level official coming here from Hungary to give financial and moral support to those community leaders who swear public allegiance to the Orbán government and support its repressive tactics against critics at home and here in Canada. The Canadian-Hungarian Democratic Charter has struggled valiently to push-back against a concerted and centrally orchestrated Hungarian governmental effort to silence the voices of Canadian-Hungarians who disapprove of its anti-democratic conduct. Some of us have received death-threats for our efforts to defend Canada’s democratic heritage.
What needs to be done? A few days ago the Obama administration announced that it will refuse entry to some of Hungary’s highest State officials, including the Director of the Hungarian National Revenue Service (NAV) as part of intensified U.S. focus on combating corruption, which the US government rightly identifies as a fundamental obstacle to good governance, transparency and democratic values. The European Parliament will address the anti-democratic behavior of the Hungarian government in a special session in Strasbourg on October 21. We urge the Canadian government to be equally vigilant. According to Transparency International, corruption skyrocketed in Hungary under the Orbán government. Questions are being raised about Mr Szijjártó’s own suddenly apparent riches. Prior to his service with Mr Orbán’s Party, he was a student and never had a well paying job. The Prime Minister’s Office has taken over the control of one of Hungary’s important Banks, the MKB, and relationships between the government, the Hungarian Development Bank and the National Bank of Hungary are also the subject of increasingly closer foreign scrutiny. Hungary’s pro-government oligarchs play a critical role in the advance of anti-democratic initiatives. While they thrive, Hungary’s poverty rate is at its highest level. Like the USA, the Canadian government should also pay closer attention to the off-shore expansion of Hungary’s corrupt oligarchs. We applaud the Canadian government’s granting of political refugee status last year to the internationally acclaimed dissident Jewish-Hungarian writer, Mr Ákos Kertész, who was the target of a vicious hate campaign co-ordinated by the Hungarian government. But more needs to be done.
We would like Canada to be critical rather than tolerant of the conduct of individuals such as Mr. László Kövér, Speaker of Hungary’s Parliament, who played a leading role in the rehabilitation, glorification and post-humous reburial of a notorious anti-Semite politician, József Nyirő, who was a member of Hungary’s Arrow Cross Party during WWII. Mr. Kövér’s unacceptable behavior prompted Nobel-Laureate Elie Wiesel as well as respected Columbia Professor Randolph L Braham to return the high state decorations given to them by the Hungarian government. Mr Kövér is a politician for whom the ends justify the means. As he put it in an interview a few years ago: “Politics is not about sticking to the truth but about maximizing the number of votes”. Mr Kövér is one of the ringleaders behind the Hungarian government’s assault on its critics at home and here in Canada. But there are many others who need to be held accountable for their irresponsible behavior.
The recently recalled Hungarian Ambassador, Dr László Pordány, has frequently hosted wellknown anti-Semites from Hungary, such as Ernő Raffay, who has published three full volumes over the past couple of years, in which he blames Hungary’s Post WWI territorial losses on world Jewry. Only last week, Dr Pordány was held up at the US-Canadian border while bringing into Canada a performer who is a wellknown supporter of Hungary’s neo-fascist Party, the Jobbik. The Canadian government should tell Mr. Pordány, the embassy’s deputy head of mission Lajos Oláh, and his successor in no uncertain terms who is welcome in this country and who is not.
Mr Orbán has surrounded himself with advisors, such as Imre Kerényi, who advocates that Hungarians should listen to Iran and the radical Islamists who are the enemies of the trans-Atlantic community. Another close associate of Mr. Orbán, Zsolt Bayer, one of his Party’s founding members, and a government decorated organizer of the pro-government “Peace Rallies” that aim to intimidate the democratic opposition in Hungary, is on public record with the following Anti-Semitic slur: “The mere existence of Jewish journalists in Budapest is grounds enough for our anti-Semitism.” Not long ago, the Orbán government decorated another of its key propagandists, András Bencsik, the editor of a weekly that still celebrates the Hungarian troops who fought on the side of the Nazis until the dying days of WWII. Bencsik is one of the founders of the notorious Hungarian Guard militia that specializes in harassing Hungary’s Roma population. According to Mr. Bencsik, the agreement linking Hungary to Europe is like a plate of excrement. Instead of firing these people from his Party, or removing them from any position of influence, Mr. Orbán embraces their views and promotes them into his inner circle, providing them with vast powers to spread their toxic, anti-democratic philosophies at home and abroad.
Dear Mr. Harper, Mr Baird: As you know, we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall this autumn as well as the 58th anniversary of Hungary’s heroic uprising against Russian domination. Yet there is a shadow hanging over the celebrations. There is a new, menacing specter haunting our cherished, hard won democracies. This time it’s not the specter of communism but the specter of predatory states and corrupt, self-serving rulers and their compliant oligarchs, who show no respect for the rule of law, for civil society, or for the dignity of their fellow human beings. The Canadian Hungarian Democratic Charter applauds the government’s efforts to put the trans-Atlantic community’s “democracy-house” in order.
It is tremendously important to name and shame rogue regimes within the community that willfully and systematically abuses values that are common to us all. But to stop this menace, words must be followed by actions. Only resolute action can maintain the confidence of Europe’s and North America’s citizens in our ability and will to sustain our democratic way of life. Rogue leaders such as Mr. Orbán must be made to answer for their anti-democratic behavior. They should be kept at arms length, kept off our nation’s “guest list.” Their lobbyists in Canada should be carefully scrutinized. The financial and political privileges of member states in the trans-Atlantic community that deliberately disregard their treaty obligations need to be curtailed. If they continue to violate the values that the democratic community has sworn to uphold, they should be sent packing. We encourage you to work with your other colleagues in the G8 community and with leaders of the EU, to stamp out any and all efforts that threaten democratic governance and the rule of law.
Respected Princeton law professor Kim Lane Scheppele has recently declared „the end of politics” in Hungary. Many more people of impeccable credentials worldwide have said the same thing. Dear Prime Minister Harper ! Please help to reverse this unfortunate trend within one of the member states of the trans-Atlantic community. Failure to recognize the responsibility of the Orbán government’s for this abuse of the rule of law in Hungary would put the entire burden of responsibility for the abuse on the back of ordinary Hungarian citizens. This would not only be unfair or untrue, but would do nothing to resolve the problem.
The only way Hungary can be brought back into the community of nations that respect and uphold the rule of law, is to hold its current political leaders accountable for their actions.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. András B. Göllner, Founder, International Spokesperson
Emeritus Associate Professor, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
Dr. Christopher Adam, Founder and Spokesperson.
Lecturer, Department of History, Carleton University,Ottawa, Ont.
Dr. Éva Balogh, Founder and Spokesperson.
Professor of History and Dean of Morse College at Yale University (Retired) New Haven, Conn.
Dr. Stevan Harnad, Founder and Spokesperson.
Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Science at Univerité du Quebec á Montreal. QC and External Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Dr. Imre Szeman, Founder and Spokesperson.
Canada Research Chair in Cultural Studies and Professor of English, Film Studies, and Sociology, University of Alberta.
This is a wonderful bunch of Hungarian quislings who signed this pack of professionally selected lies. “Congratulations” for this master piece of poisoning drinking fountains. It must be patented for military purposes!
The result of these kind of unfair fount poisoning actions of yours dated from 1989 has resulted in that 66% of the Hungarian voters say “NO! to everything which is related to this conspiratorial group calling themselves “liberal”. I would rather call them as a coalition of post-maoist, neo-bolshie and (anti-Hungarian) racist gang.
Thank for the disgusting elitist political activities of these guys, who have continuously been complaining against Hungary to everyone at anytime, recently to the Canadian Prime Minister, the political term of “liberal”, which used to be a highly respected guiding principle and slogan throughout our history for centuries, has become one of the most hateful attributive in Hungary.
But instead of my personal opinion, let me cite the statement of a reliable person, respected by both sides, Elisabeth Csicsery-Rónay, without any further comment of mine:
“This is the same old nonsense. Ludicrous is the charge that this government is undemocratic and that 70% of the people are undemocratic.
Am I undemocratic because I voted for Fidesz?
So only the people who vote for the leftist opposition are democratic?
What kind of elitist nonsense is this?
And the charge that FIdesz won because of gerrymandered districts is also too ridiculous to answer. There were of course changes made in electoral districts, but before they were not rational.
The problem is that the pseudo-leftist opposition which was smashed for the second time thinks it has no other recourse than to run to the EU and the US and complain and hope that they will help overthrow this government, because they have the chance of a snowball in hell of returning to power, particularly so long as Gyurcsány is in the picture.
If you could only see this as most Hungarians see it. Gyurcsany is a
psychopath who wrecked the country and has now deliberately wrecked his own side.
He is a very dangerous man and for the west to support him aganst this democratically elected government is very dangerous and incredibly undemocratic to boot.
Also when Fidesz won in‘98 everything was in the hands of the socialist government, the media, all the power. I don’t recall the EU or US complaining about the concentration of power then.It is rich for “democratic” West to take the side of these post-communists against this government which is supported by the vast majority of the Hungarian people.
But that government opened up the country indiscriminately to outside investment. That is the key.
The charge concerning the lack of religious freedom is also ludicrous.
The fact is that there were more than 300 churches and religions supported by the government, many of them “business” churches, like Scientology. This number was reduced to 30 or 40.
The others though no longer funded by the government are free to practice their religion. This country is too poor to support so many churches.
Of course, those left out are screaming like stuck pigs.
And the media listens only to their voices. So far as I know, Britain has one institutional church. No one attacks it for lack of religious freedom. But no matter how many times this fact is pointed out to the critics,
they simply refuse to countenance it.
About the courts.
Many of the courts and judges are leftovers from Communist times. Many people, including me, have had terrible experiences from these courts. Something had to be done. Orbán tried to reduce the judges’ age, but was not allowed to.
When East Germany ceased to exist, these judges were simply fired. Nobody complained of interference with the justice system.
Of course, it’s OK for Germany to do this, but not Hungary.
About the NGOs, actually the US is currently looking into the NGOs financed by Norway.
This is apparently against US law.
Another case of what the US can do, Hungary can’t.
Actually, I was against the Hungarian investigation of NGOs funded by the outside.
It is a case of although they may well be right, the damage done to foreign relations outweighed the justice of their case.
The big problem is that Orbán really and truly has an immense communication problem.
His speech in Tusnadfurdo was a reaction against the relentless attacks of the left liberals of the world. It can be ascribed to his humanity, but nevertheless it was stupid beyond belief.
The word liberal has been ruined in Hungary for a long time to come by the completely cynical liberals here who together with the socialists (post Communists) wrecked the country.
Hungarians aren’t going to forget this for a long time, I can tell you.
The more Orbán is attacked, the more they will rally around him.
But now I read in the media Hungary is included with Russia and China as a “illiberal” dictatorship. This again is so ludicrous as to be beyond belief.
Two hundred journalists have been killed in Russia, and the less said about China the better.
By the way, the people this article says were in jail without charges, isn’t quite true. They were all accused of corruption.
I don’t think there was a government in Hungarian history more corrupt than the previous socialist government.
The courts freed them. Again a case of communist era leftovers.
It demonstrates that the government is democratic, not autocratic. It did nothing to counter the court’s judgment.
To give you an example of the relentless campaign against Hungary, last year Sweden aired a defamatory documentary about Hungary
and the rise of the right and autocracy on the EVE of anniversary of 56.
Talk about a slap in the face. In the end Sweden elected more of their far right, 13% in the EP elections than Hungary did, Jobbik won 11%.
And now when Fidesz won a huge victory in local elections,
all the media can say is that Jobbik came in second.
Yes, but it was a very distant second.
The leftist opposition simply fell apart.
There simply is NO ALTERNATIVE to Fidesz.
I actually voted for the greens, even though they’re too small and weak but they are the only possible alternative.
We do need a credible opposition, but there isn’t one.
The rapprochement with Russia is also disingenuous. It is not only Hungary that has economic dealings with Russia.
Germany does too. Extensive ones. So do many of the EU countries.
But what is allowed Germany and the big countries is not allowed Hungary.
The injustice and constant attacks from the West can have the unintended consequence of driving Hungary into the arms of Russia.
Hungarians have never had fair treatment from the west, first Trianon, during World War II they tried to quit their reluctant alliance with Germany, the Western powers rejected this, then their abandonment in 56, and now this slanderous campaign against a democratically
elected government ever since it came into power.
We knew very well this would happen, but I didn’t expect it to be so unfair and propagandistic.
This government has many faults but then which government hasn’t.
How about the US with their surveillance, their drones, plutocracy, Ferguson, etc. etc. ?
The US has no right to accuse anyone else of racism, etc.
Neither this kind of so-called “Canadian liberals.”
Anyway all this isn’t going to work, so might as well, live with this government and leave us alone.
If the west tries to overthrow this government, I can tell you there will be a revolution here.
So it is best to try to understand the
reality of Hungary.”
My only comment is: please DO read it and think.
Hungarian Free Press: I wonder how “Free” you are, whether my comment could or could not appear, or remains “under moderation” for ever?
HOW A SCRUPLE-FREE “SUPERMAJORITY” CAN FAST-LAW ITSELF INTO SUPER-GLUE
The testimony of Dr. Habil. Andras Fodor (see also http://j.mp/DrHabilFodorAndras ) speaks for itself, and illustrates strikingly well the mentality of enough Hungarians today to have elected Orban and Fidesz.
I will point out only that in Dr. Habil. Andras Fodor’s long and very familiar list of defensive apologetics for the shameful status quo in Hungary today, the biggest howler of all is the one about “70% of the people.”
Fidesz’s constitution-busting 2/3 “supermajority” came from a small plurality of Fidesz votes (not even a majority) among a small minority of the populace who actually voted.
But, despite the fact that the electoral districts were gerrymandered, the government controlled all the mass media, the democratic opposition was vilified by the government and government “NGOs” on every billboard in the land while the opposition was hardly allowed by law to find a place to pin a poster on — and many, many more extremely dirty tricks sanctioned by the government supermajority’s free-hand at self-serving same-day legislation (“fast laws”) — the election, though monstrously unfair was still nominally “free”:
People could still go out and vote: Most did not. But a small plurality of the minority who did, voted for Fidesz (and many of the rest voted for good-cop Fidesz’s neo-nazi bad-cop Doppelganger, Jobbik).
So it is true that Hungary is populated by enough Dr. Habil. Andras Fodors and few enough people who care enough to vote that Hungarians got the government they wanted, and deserved.
(Though the significant number of non-Hugarians born and bred on the the nether side of Lesser Hungary’s unredeemed borders — many of whom had never set foot in Hungary let alone paid Hungarian taxes — fast-lawed into citizenship by Fidesz may well have been the decisive factor even in squeeking Fidesz’s minority plurality over its own arbitrary fast-lawed threshold for another “supermajority”…)
The real head-shaker in all of this chicanery is that it is all happening within the EU, indeed subsidized heavily by the EU, and the EU has not yet seen fit to do anything about it.
Habul András Fodor’s rants does not deserve a lengthy rebuttal – Orbán’s critics are evenly divided between the democratic Left and Right. Angela Merkel is not a left-wing radical, nor is Sharkozy, Obama, Clinton, Vaclav Havel, nor is the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times. Wake up man! Why not just say we’re all Jews with an ax to grind ? Huh ? Don’t be shy. We can take it. Come on out and say it like one of your fellow Hungarian journalists, István Lovas according to whom “All of Orbán’s critics are left wing Jews, just look at their ugly signatures” I happen to be a fairly decent looking Protestant who is also frequently dismissed as a left-wing “blood Jew”. I’m used to it. And even if the ranking is undeserved, I take it as a compliment. My name is Göllner – I know it sounds Jewish to Lovas, but it isn’t – it is the “Göllner Regiment” of Sopron, that Hungary’s greatest poet of the 19th century joined in 1848, it is as a member of the Göllner Regiment that he died fighting the Hapsburgs in 1949. So much for signatures…..
Apologies – Petöfi I meant to write 1849 – time flies when you are having fun