Page 37 - bne IntelliNews monthly magazine May 2024

bne May 2024 Central Europe I 37
The scandal led to the fall from grace
of Varga, who reportedly refused the pardon, but eventually countersigned it after Novak okayed it. There is still
no answer as to who lobbied for the clemency, but critics of Orban claim the prime minister had the final say.
Hungary is facing its biggest legal, political, moral, and economic crisis of the last 30 years, and people feel they have had enough, Magyar told local media after the rally. He tried to downplay his role saying "I may be the spark that started the fire".
Despite the unseasonably hot weather, an estimated 200,000-250,000 people took to the streets in Budapest from all parts of Hungary. Many arrived from European cities and the United States just for this occasion. The Facebook post of Magyar was buzzing ahead of the demonstration. People were offering car-sharing and lodgings for those arriving from the countryside.
According to observers, the size of the demonstration matches that of the June 27, 1988, mass protest in Heroes Square against Nicolae Ceausescu's plans to destroy villages of ethnic Hungarians in Romania, seen as one of the most important events in the fall of Communism in Hungary.
The rally was the second one in two weeks by Magyar, who made a successful debut in the political arena on the national holiday on March 15, where he announced plans to run in the EP and local government elections on June 9.
Due to time constraints, Magyar has no chance of setting up his own party before that time, but he is involved in talks with small, fringe parties that he could use as a proxy. He told independent media that he will name that party at his next rally scheduled for May 5.
By 3 pm, the iconic square in front of parliament was filled, and the crowd spilled over to nearby streets. Many carried red-white-green flags that reminded observers of a rally organised by Fidesz, but analysts rightfully pointed out it was a clear attempt to
take back the symbols expropriated by the ruling party.
Magyar and his team also carried a big banner in the march through central Budapest, which was also reminiscent of Fidesz rallies. The caption on the banner read: "Do not be afraid". Some other protesters carried signs bearing the names of their hometowns.
The two-hour rally began with a popular actor reading out personal stories of Hungarians living abroad. An estimated 500,000 have left Hungary since Orbán came to power in 2010 because of his regime's corruption, nepotism, the demise of education, and the country's democratic backsliding.
The independent mayor of a small town accused local representatives of Hungary’s largest opposition party DK of collaborating with Fidesz, a message also shared by Magyar in earlier interviews in which he said that Hungary’s political elite must
be renewed. A representative of the Reformed Church said leaders of the
regime," Magyar said as he made
the case for a European-facing and meritocratic Hungary. "Change has started, which can't be stopped," he declared. "Step by step, brick by brick, we are taking back our homeland and building a new country, a sovereign, modern, European Hungary."
Magyar lashed out at government propaganda machines and the lack
of independence of media and the prosecutor's office as he presented accusations of corruption at the highest levels of government.
"More than 20 years have passed with elected leaders inciting Hungarians against each other, but now we are putting an end to this," he said, calling for everyone from right to left and liberal to work together to replace the current political elite.
"The current government has steered the country into the biggest political, legal, and moral crisis of the last 30 years. Give power back to the people, take political and legal responsibility," he said. He
“The current government has steered the country into the biggest political, legal, and moral crisis of the last 30 years. Give power back to the people, take political and legal responsibility”
church bear responsibility for the moral decline in Hungary, referring
to Bishop Zoltán Balogh, who openly acknowledged that as an advisor to Novák, he supported the pardon of the deputy head of the children’s home.
Magyar, who stepped up to the podium to the beats of Europe’s "Final Countdown" hit, began his speech by saying: "Remember this day, April 6, 2024, because from now on, nothing will be the same."
"In just a few weeks, the message of hope has reached the farthest corners of the country. We did something unprecedented since the change of
turned to the representatives of the ruling party, saying it would soon be too late to change sides.
The results of the European Parliament elections will be the first nail in the coffin of the regime, he stressed. Magyar said applications will be open to pick candidates for the EP elections.
"You may ask if I still have some nuclear bomb," he asked the crowd, referring to damaging inside information against senior government officials. "We are the atomic bomb, the Hungarian people."
Magyar also urged his supporters to be active in the new movement called
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