Ruining peaceful celebrations is not a fundamental human right, Csaba Dömötör, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister told the Hungarian news agency MTI on Monday.

The Minister of State took the view that Péter Juhász, President of Együtt and his associates seek to disturb the state ceremonies. “By doing so, they evidently abuse the freedom of assembly. We find it regrettable that activists sponsored from abroad who describe themselves as human rights activists also assist them in this endeavour”, he added.

Mr Dömötör stressed: ruining peaceful celebrations is not a fundamental human right. “If Péter Juhász has nothing to say about 1848 and national independence, it is no reason to disturb the celebration of families who wish to commemorate the heroes of the freedom fight in a dignified manner”, he highlighted, adding: the Government awaits everyone at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday to join the celebration to be held at the National Museum where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will deliver a speech.

Péter Juhász, President of Együtt announced at the beginning of March that on 15 March Együtt intends to boo Viktor Orbán because the Prime Minister does not give the Hungarian people any other chance to state their opinion. He demanded that the Prime Minister announce on 15 March: he will hold an open public hearing.

In its Monday communication, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) reiterated that the Budapest Police Constabulary banned the demonstration organised by Péter Juhász and his associates last week and also this Monday. TASZ indicated: they have contested the ban before a court of law. According to their information, the police justified their decision by citing the violation of “the dignity of the nation” and “the right to commemorate in a dignified manner”. The human rights organisation claims, however, that the police “adopted the decision to ban the demonstration with reference to non-existent rights and values, even disregarding the inadequacy of the ban”.

They took the view: enabling the Prime Minister to deliver speeches undisturbed is not a constitutional value. “Those who boo him state their opinion about him, and not about the Hungarian nation, as neither the Government, nor the Prime Minister embodies the Hungarian nation on their own”, the communication of TASZ reads.

(MTI)