PM calls for defending national identity
March 17th, 2018Columnists, just like the Prime Minister whose speech they commented on, were in full campaign mode on the anniversary of the 1848 revolution.
Addressing a square packed with supporters on the national holiday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary’s long-term survival as a land belonging to Hungarians was at stake in the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 8. His opponents, he said would support globalist forces who intend to flood Europe – and Hungary within it – with masses of immigrants. Without specifically mentioning the mounting corruption accusations levelled against his government, he said during the campaign he would not dwell on offences but would ‘get even’ – politically, morally and even juridically – afterwards.
In his Népszava OpEd piece, Miklós Hargitay describes the ruling elite as a bunch of ‘idiotic and shifty criminals’ and characterises the government’s supporters as a hopeless mass who stick to their leaders whatever their guilt. The left-wing pundit interprets the Prime Minister’s remark on ‘getting even after the election’ as a threat to the opposition and argues that it is the bulk of the population that has an account to settle with the government.
In Magyar Idők, editor Ottó Gajdics agrees with the Prime Minister’s view that Hungarians have to stand up against attempts to create ‘a United States of Europe, consisting of countries with mixed populations and devoid of sovereignty’. He perceives as particularly timely the appeal addressed by the Prime Minister to the young generation to take steps to make sure that their country will still be around when they need it one day.