A misreading of what’s happening in Hungary
Re “Hungary on the brink,” Opinion, Oct. 7
One wonders about Andras Gollner’s impartiality when he labels Hungary’s opposition Fidesz party as dangerously anti-democratic. He conveniently sidesteps the harsh truth revealed in the leaked tape recording in which Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany admits that his party had publicly lied about its financial mismanagement of the country to win the election.
Despite the outrage and spontaneous demonstrations that this provoked across the country, Gyurcsany not only refuses to resign, but the Stalin-era style constitution makes it practically impossible to remove him from office. Will the real anti-democratic party please stand up?
ANDRAS CSAPLAR
San Jose
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As an American born in Hungary 72 years ago, I have been watching Hungarian television on the Internet over the last few weeks. To call the demonstrators “a motley crew of bitterly dissatisfied, xenophobic extremists” -- coming from a Hungarian professor who should know better -- is as outrageous as it is wrong. The so-called hooligans were a tiny minority of the thousands who demonstrated vocally but peacefully.
I wonder if Gollner’s concept of parliamentary democracy excludes the right to demonstrate? If so, he should not be allowed to teach.
LASZLO STRAKA
Alta Loma
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