Category Archives: EN

UN rights office joins condemnation of Hungary reforms

Posted on March 17, 2013 by ellenpolus

The Un ited Nations’ human rights office has added its voice to international criticism of Hungary‘s constitutional reforms, despite the insistence of prime minister Viktor Orban that they do not endanger to his country’s democracy. Hungary’s parliament, dominated by Mr … Continue reading →

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Hungary’s Orban stages assault against democracy

Posted on March 17, 2013 by ellenpolus

LONDON, UK — Hungarian democracy has seen darker days: Memories of the brutal Soviet repression are still very much present, particularly from 1956, when tanks roared through Budapest’s streets to put down an anti-communist uprising. Although the country’s latest political … Continue reading →

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Guest Edit: Budapest’s Cultural Mismanagement

Posted on March 17, 2013 by ellenpolus

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY***–When I arrived at the Ludwig Museum—Museum of Contemporary Art, Budapest on March 1, a colleague told me in a near whisper how the day before the Director of Finance had received a letter instructing that Barnabas Bencsik, the … Continue reading →

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Sociologist Kovacs, two accused of anti-Semitism win high honors from Hungary

Posted on March 17, 2013 by ellenpolus

(JTA) – Hungary recognized a Jewish sociologist, Andreas Kovacs, and two citizens accused of making anti-Semitic statements with prestigious national awards. Kovacs, 65, was one of 17 people presented the Szechenyi Prize on the occasion of Hungary’s March 15 national day. The … Continue reading →

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Hungary civil groups rally against ‘Viktator’ president

Posted on March 17, 2013 by ellenpolus

Around 4,000 Hungarians rallied in Budapest Sunday against Prime Minister Viktor Orban, branding their leader a dictator after his right-wing government passed a highly controversial change to the constitution. Protesters carried EU and opposition party flags and held banners dubbing … Continue reading →

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Official prizes for far-right neo-Nazis and members of the lunatic fringe in Hungary

Posted on March 16, 2013 by ellenpolus

I have been complaining for some time about the state’s meddling in artistic and intellectual life by awarding hundreds of decorations and prizes to “worthy” individuals. This practice began some time in the nineteenth century, albeit on a very limited … Continue reading →

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Viktor’s justice

Posted on March 16, 2013 by ellenpolus

THE Hungarians have thrown down a gauntlet to the European Union. The parliament voted on March 11th to amend the constitution, ignoring pleas for delay from the European Commission, the Council of Europe and America’s State Department. Hungary’s Constitutional Court … Continue reading →

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