Hungarian Politics

[Tamas]

I mean it is a fair point.

The EU (justifiably) launched legal action over a proposed British law that might breach the Withdrawal Agreement and have suggested they'll use the court's fast-track procedures that can get a ruling in a few months (the average time in the CJEU is about 18-24 months). It's not beyond the power of the Commission to have tried to expedite this, or just treat the other cases against Hungary and Poland with a similar sense of urgency instead of just slow-pedalint it..

I guess Hungary and Poland are posing a problem to the EU: they are a challenge to the official ideas. In practice nobody actually cares if east euro semi-shitholes turn into real shitholes, especially if that keeps German car manufacturing more profitable, and they are clearly not keen on fighting it out with Orban and his ilk just to drive them into Russia's embrace.

But still they must appear like they are doing something, so we get things like the People's Party or whatever the group called keeping Fidesz suspended for years now but taking their votes thankyouverymuch, or inconsequential rulings years after they could have had any practical effect.

[The Larch]

More importantly, CEU has long been set up in Vienna instead. So this ruling is a moot point.

Also roughly at the same time there was a new law requiring NGOs themselves in a Russian-style a foreign interest if they receive funds from abroad. I think the wording in Hungary is less directly insidious but it's the same point. Just last week I read about some education NGO thing denied to apply for EU funds (since that's handled by the national government) because they would not go along and declare themselves foreign interests due to some other funding they received. But there shall be an ECJ ruling on this any year now.

Already ruled on it back in June.

Hungary breaking EU law over foreign-funded NGO crackdown, says ECJ

Judges at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) have ruled that the Hungarian government is breaking EU law by restricting the financing of NGOs.

The court stated that 'by imposing obligations of registration, declaration and publication on certain categories of civil society organisations directly or indirectly receiving support from abroad exceeding a certain threshold' that Hungary had introduced 'discriminatory and unjustified restrictions'. The ECJ ruled that Hungarian law violates both free movement of capital and fundamental rights.

Back in 2017, the government in Budapest adopted a law to freeze any funding to organisations of over 22,000 euros from outside Hungary, arguing that the money could be used for money laundering or the financing of terrorism.

The restrictions placed on NGO funding was seen as targeting billionaire philanthropist George Soros, and organisations like his Open Society Foundation that support Hungarian NGOs. The government claims these organisations work against the national interest.

Patrick Gaspard, president of the Open Society Foundations, welcomed the Court's decision, saying:

"This ruling will resonate throughout the European Union as an affirmation that civic engagement is a vital pillar of its democratic values."

[Crazy_Ivan80]

I guess Hungary and Poland are posing a problem to the EU: they are a challenge to the official ideas.

better to do like spain and challenge nothing: then you can put political prisoners behind bars and treat them contrary to civilised law as you please

[Tamas]

A characteristic disgusting worm of a servant of the system is Szilard Demeter, a Transylvanian "writer" and "poet" who is a flawless bundle of total lack of talent and self-awareness, resulting in a nasty awkward loser who would get absolutely nowhere in life without  becoming the spineless servant of Orban and his ilk. My particular favourites were his stories painting himself as the badass of the nightlife of his home town brawling with people regularly, plus the absolutely unironic "cool guy" story of once waking up to see some flowing long hair in front of him in bed, thinking it was a lady, just to remember it was one of his (male) mates because they had such a night out they ended up sleeping in the same bed. Only thing missing was the "(no homo)" from the end of it.



So anyways, he was named leader of a cultural institute a few years ago which consequently received the right to decide on pretty much all state grant to artists, making him the liege lord of any all type of artists who can't make a living without state grants (i.e. most of them).

Being this shining beacon of Hungarian cultural life, he felt necessary to weight in on the ongoing debate with the EU over funding and rule of law.

He wrote an article on how "Europe is the gas chambers of Soros, poison gas pouring out from the capsule of multicultural open society, deadly to the European way of life. "

He continues:
"The liberarians now aim to exclude Poles and Hungarians from the political community which still grants us some rights. We are the new Jews. Never mind whether they call it open society, rule of law, solidarity or anything else, they are verbal clubs to strike with at our rights. When they question the Hungarian citizens' ability to choose how they want to live, who they want as leaders, what they are basically saying is that are smelly and have big noses. "

"Soros is the Fuhrer of liberalism. And his liberarian followers worship him more than Hitler was by his own".

[Valmy]

So how do they justify not leaving the EU if that is Hungary's position?

I mean it is not like it was some kind of mystery this was a liberal project that required liberal values to be in it.

[Tamas]

The state TV's news website likes to be upbeat and funny on foreign news. The news that Biden has named an entirely female communications team was titled "Since they constantly talk anyways - Women rule Biden's communication team".

Another example of them is their report back when Pennsylvania confirmed their election results. It read: "Humor in Pennsylvania? They confirmed Biden's victory and talk of fair elections".

And of course this is an institution which on paper exists to ensure an impartial source of news for the nation.

[Sheilbh]

So how do they justify not leaving the EU if that is Hungary's position?

I mean it is not like it was some kind of mystery this was a liberal project that required liberal values to be in it.

Was it? I mean by the time Poland and Hungary join (and were run by more "European" parties) the EU had already had the FPO in Austria, the Danish People's Party were in government, Berlusconi was a standard feature of European politics (and in coalition with Lega and the National Alliance).

It's not like there was no history of this before Poland and Hungary now. Maybe if there'd been a stricter approach at the start it would be easier now but it took a lot of struggle for the EU to impose (relatively ineffective) measures against Austria - it's unimaginable that it could have done it against Italy.

[Tamas]

It seems increasingly certain, that Jozsef Szajer, one of Fidesz' founding members, sidelined to be an MEP several years ago, was arrested on Friday when the police busted an orgy of 25 "mostly men" attendees. They also found drugs.

He's been long rumored to be gay, so no doubt people will try to create a (justified) narrative that members of Fidesz live lifestyles they want to deny others of back home. But I think Fidesz will go for a "look at the corrupting, gay-ifying influence Brussels, we told you so", so overall nobody will change their mind over this one.


EDIT: one big clue to Szajer's identity in this is that he absolutely suddenly and out of the blue resigned as MEP on Sunday.

[celedhring]

It seems increasingly certain, that Jozsef Szajer, one of Fidesz' founding members, sidelined to be an MEP several years ago, was arrested on Friday when the police busted an orgy of 25 "mostly men" attendees. They also found drugs.

He's been long rumored to be gay, so no doubt people will try to create a (justified) narrative that members of Fidesz live lifestyles they want to deny others of back home. But I think Fidesz will go for a "look at the corrupting, gay-ifying influence Brussels, we told you so", so overall nobody will change their mind over this one.


EDIT: one big clue to Szajer's identity in this is that he absolutely suddenly and out of the blue resigned as MEP on Sunday.

I don't know, maybe it's because he was arrested while in possession of drugs and - I suspect - contravening covid restrictions? 

[Tamas]

Yeah what I mean is the police have not officially named him, but apparently reliable Belgian news sources say the caught MEP was Hungarian and a founder of Fidesz which narrows it down to him.

[celedhring]

Ah okay, I misunderstood you.

This has made the news here (although no talk about who the MEP was) but they are claiming he tried to flee the scene and then tried to use his parlamentary immunity to evade arrest 

[Tamas]

Aand now Szajer has confirmed it. He says it was just a party at a friend's house. He also claims he didn't claim immunity just told them he was an MEP as he didn't have any IDs on himself. And that the police found ecstasy pills but it wasn't his and had no idea there were drugs at the party.

[celedhring]

Every time a situation like this arises I can't stop thinking of Lethal Weapon 2 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwC_IaY3BmY&ab_channel=MovieDeaths2000

[Sheilbh]

It's like a law of politics that if a party makes "traditional values" a bit part of their pitch their will be an absolute shedload of sex scandals

[Tamas]

There's  another founder who for some reason have managed to avoid being really found out, although in his case he has always been the "bohemian" of the party (with around 4 wives and counting) who has never held crucial power.

This is probably the most telling pic about his lifestyle, made several years ago when caught to some flash interview