Conference on Police Brutality in Budapest on 23, October

Created: 28th September, 2007 14:28 | Last updated: 14th December, 2006 10:34	print	send

Victims and analysts recounted the police brutality and its consequences at the hearing which lasted several hours. The event was chaired by Jaime Mayor Ortega MEP, vice-chairman of the EPP-ED, who in his introduction underlined that "the most important value of democracy is freedom, and it must be defended day to day". Imre Czigány, employee of the European Commission recalled being ambushed by policemen who shot him with rubber bullets. Gábor Fábián, another eye-witness told the audience that his leg was broken and he was spat on and called a "bloody Fidesz-crony" by policemen. Sándor Reiner, who had hoped to celebrate peacefully the anniversary of the revolution on 23, October was also beaten by the police. Referring to the Hungarian Holocaust in 1944, he said he would never have thought that after 62 years Jews would yet again be assaulted on the streets of Budapest.

Zoltán Balog, chairman of the Commission on Human Rights and National Minorities of the Hungarian Parliament, gave a thorough assessment of the events that had taken place in Budapest. In her analysis, Prof. Krisztina Morvai, chairwoman of the Independent Investigation Committee underlined that the restoration of the rule of law was the most important task of the committee. Ilona Ékes MP of Fidesz and member of the Commission on Human Rights and lawyer Tamás Gaudi Nagy also recounted the consequences of police brutality.

President of the Hungarian Delegation, József Szájer MEP emphasized that no such breach of human rights and civic liberties had ever taken place in the past 50 years of Hungarian history. He said that "not even the police of Károly Grósz (communist PM of Hungary from 1987-1988) could have acted so brutally during the years prior to the regime-change, even if they wanted to". He then underlined that the hearing was organized because so far no impartial and appropriate investigation took place in Hungary to analyze the events hitherto.

"If such an event, unacceptable in any democracy, has taken place, the only thing we can do is to take every measure to prevent it from happening again. To be able to accomplish this, the truth must be uncovered", said Kinga Gál, member of the Human Rights Committee of the European Parliament.

Camiel Eurlings, Dutch MEP and Vice-Chairman of the European People's Party recalled that the events that had taken place in Hungary harmed the entire European Union, not only the member country itself, for whenever human rights are breached anywhere in the world, Europe always has its voice heard. He then added that numerous socialist and liberal MEPs condemned the police action in Budapest.

Antonio Bettanini, a close colleague of Franco Frattini was also present at the hearing. Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Frattini had previously sent a letter to the Hungarian Government, asking for an assessment of the police action. Other participants of the event were Elmar Brok, German MEP of European People's Party and chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Tune Kelam, Estonian MEP, Ignasi Guardans, Catalonian liberal MEP and Werner Langen, leader of the German delegation to the European People's Party.

fidesz.hu, eppfrakcio.hu