In Regard to the Violent Events on the Streets of Budapest

The Hungarian Europe Society condemns the violent acts of the past days, the street riots and the attacks on public institutions.

The mobs acting by night have nothing in common with the regime-change in 1988-1990 or the 1956 revolution. Any alleged analogy is false!

We must stop violence before it gains acceptance in Hungarian public life!

We demand from the police to take definitive against rioters. Yet, concurrently, we also demand that the authorities fully respect human rights, the freedom of association, and the liberty to express one’s opinion peacefully.

We ask every political force to expend efforts - primarily among their own supporters - towards mitigating the tension. Despite the growing competition between political parties as local elections loom on the horizon, democratic dialogue must be maintained between the parties in parliament. Links between the government and the largest opposition party - in compliance with democratic and European norms - should not be completely broken until the next national elections!

Budapest, 22 September 2006

* The declaration does not necessarily reflect the opinion of all members of the Hungarian Europe Society.