The background of the protest is the revelation of the amnesty related to the embezzlement case that led to the resignation of the Hungarian president, which aroused discontent among the people towards the government.
Kai Jääskeläinen
In Hungary, tens of thousands of people have demonstrated in the country’s capital, Budapest, in one of the largest Prime Minister Viktor Orban from the protests against the government for years.
President of Hungary Katalin Novák had to resign from his position a week ago after the public became dissatisfied with the president’s decision to pardon the sexual abuse that occurred in the children’s home ¤ undercover deputy director. Also the Minister of Justice Judit Varga resigned as a result of the incident.
The conservative Orbán has tried to downplay the scandal that escalated last week, but the Hungarian media has not let the incident be forgotten.
The revelation of the amnesty that led to Novák’s resignation has caused widespread public disapproval of the government, and several social media influencers have demanded that the people demonstrate their opinion in Heroes’ Square in Budapest.
On Friday, tens of thousands of protesters crowded the square and the streets leading to it.
– We have had enough. We need a change, because this government is full of lies and hypocrisy, comments the 64-year-old Jozsef Molnar news agency Reuters.
According to Molnar, his 19-year-old son also participated in the protest.
According to Reuters, many young people participated in the demonstration.
Orbán’s government considers the amnesty case to be over
In their Facebook post, the organizers of the demonstration pondered how many similar cases have taken place without the public’s knowledge, which the Hungarian government has tried to cover up.
Prime Minister Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party has tried to get the discussion about the scandal back under control by admitting its mistakes. Orbán is scheduled to give a speech on the party’s situation on Saturday.
Orbán’s chief of staff announced on Friday that the president and the former justice minister have taken responsibility for the amnesty, according to which the Hungarian government considers the matter to be over.
Sources: Reuters, AFP