President Halonen saddened by discord at Hungarian anniversary
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President Tarja Halonen, in Budapest on Monday for the events marking the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, expressed her dismay at the current discord in the country, although during the day of her visit there were few obvious signs of the violent protests that were to erupt on the streets of the capital later in the evening.
In a reference to recent developments in Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, she commented that "it appears as though these 'good students' from the latest EU intake have run up against a period of reflection and of working out their own internal crises. Maybe this is all part of the process of development".
Halonen noted that the right to demonstrate is important, but that "decisions are not made on the streets".
The Finnish President was among numerous international dignitaries in Budapest to mark the occasion of the Uprising and to honour those who perished fifty years ago.
The official ceremonials that took place in the morning in front of the Hungarian Parliament were in stark contrast to the scenes of rioting and tear-gas grenades witnessed later in the evening.
With patriotic music playing in the background, the Hungarian flag was raised in Kossuth Square, and the representatives of more than 50 foreign states laid roses or wreaths at the memorial to the victims of the October 1956 Uprising, which was quelled by the use of Soviet troops and tanks.
The demonstrators who had been camped out in front of Parliament had been moved away by police for the duration of the ceremonies, and their chants could only be heard when the brass music was not playing. For some five weeks now, Hungary has been in turmoil after the socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány admitted that the party had lied openly about the state of the economy in order to remain in office. Demonstrations - mainly from the right-wing opposition - have been a daily occurrence, with sometimes as many as tens of thousands on the streets of the capital demanding the PM's resignation.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 24.10.2006 - TODAY |
 President Halonen saddened by discord at Hungarian anniversary
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