In a letter obtained by BosNewsLife, the prime minister told Chief Prosecutor Tamas Kovacs that the creation of the ‘Magyar Garda’, or ‘Hungarian Guard’, "presents a direct danger to our greatest common values: human dignity, the right to an everyday life without fear and the respect for each other’s culture, descent and world view."
The prime minister urged Kovacs to check whether the group is involved in possible illegal or unconstitutional acts. "Our society has the right for self defense, but that should be done by those guarding the constitution as their obligation is to defend the citizens," he stressed.
Gyurcsany said that the far-right Jobbik party’s initiative of setting up a paramilitary organization had met with international protests and that he received many letters. He stressed this "outrage was understandable because anti-Semitism and segregationist hatred have been knocking at our door for years…We must not allow them to enter."
JEWISH COMMUNITIES
Earlier the World and European Jewish Congresses urged Gyurcsany to stop "any political party
that might incite racial violence through speech, armed threats or through any other means
using expressions of hatred and bigotry."
Gyurcsany said in his letter that "it is for the first time" in his political career that he has to ask the chief prosecutor "to check whether a civil organization is acting within the law." He suggested it was crucial in Hungary’s post-Communist society to see that freedom of speech does not violate the rights of others.
In a statement, ten members of Magyar Garda — including actors and journalists — condemned Gyurcsany’s request to the chief prosecutor as "unfounded attacks."
About 300 people have applied to join the group, which plans to hold an induction ceremony for 56 members on August 25 in Budapest’s Buda Castle, to be conducted by Lajos Fur, a former defense minister.
PROTESTS PLANNED
Several left-wing groups plan to hold an anti-Magyar Garda protests on the same day, not far from the ceremony. Despite the protests, Magyar Garda members plan to wear black uniforms bearing the controversial red-and-white Arpad Stripes, a medieval coat of arms that became associated with Hungary’s Nazi-aligned Arrow Cross party in power for a brief period during World War Two.
About 600,000 Hungarian Jews were massacred during that period, often with the active participation of Hungarian fascists. Right-wing groups say they are simply reclaiming the Arpad Stripes, while opponents say the symbol has become inextricably linked with a fascist regime.
Hungarian born Tom Lantos, the first Holocaust survivor to be elected to the United States Congress, told a BosNewsLife reporter that,” Vast numbers of Hungarians personally participated in the most outrageous, murderous acts." He said that he "deeply" regrets "that there are still elements in Hungary who wish to blame the Holocaust entirely on Germany, which is inaccurate."
With roughly 100,000 people, Hungary has Eastern Europe’s largest Jewish community outside Russia.
