GROWING HUNGARIAN HORDE FROM THE RIGHT - MAGYAR

UNCLAS BUDAPEST 000342

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/NCE MARC NORDBERG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM HU
SUBJECT: GROWING HUNGARIAN HORDE FROM THE RIGHT - MAGYAR
GARDA ADDS 600 NEW MEMBERS

REF: A. 07 BUDAPEST 1773 AND PREVIOUS

B. MCGUIRE-NORDBERG EMAILS


1. Repeating their late October 2007 public ceremony (ref
A),the far-right, para-military Magyar Garda (Hungarian
Guard) initiated 600 new members at Budapest's Heroes' Square
on March 29. As the colonnaded statues of the most important
historical Hungarian figures over the past 1000 years gazed
down upon the fenced-off square, a small contingent of
anti-Garda protesters broke through for a short time in the
presence of several hundred police officers gathered to
maintain the peace. Magyar Garda leader Istvan Dosa once
again played the nationalistic card, calling on the
membership to "defend Hungary," while former Defense Minister
Lajos Fur and Reform Bishop Lorant Hegadus attempted to
provide an air of political and religious legitimacy to the
event. With this recent induction, the Garda - an off-shoot
of the far-right anti-Semitic, anti-Roma Jobbik Party -
claims approximately 1500 members.


2. In a perhaps related action of Hungarian far-right
activists, the center-right FIDESZ party was recently
targeted. Following recent press coverage of the party's
"open arms" approach designed to appeal to swing voters, two
inert hand grenades were placed outside FIDESZ party offices
within the past week. The extreme right "Kuruc" website
claims responsibility for these two acts, calling upon FIDESZ
to "give up your opportunist politics, which serve the
Israeli-communisits...the next (device) will deliver
death!...we are praying that you will find your way back to
the route of the Hungarians." In response to these two
threats, Prime Minister Gyurcsany called upon government
authorities to take all legal measures to protect public
officials, regardless of their party affiliation.


3. On March 12, the Budapest City prosecutor initiated a
court case against the Magyar Garda based on the group's
December marches against "gypsy crime" in villages with large
Roma populations. The prosecutor is requesting that the
organization be disbanded on the basis of racial
discrimination, stressing that the organization violates Roma
rights and is incompatible with a country governed by the
rule of law. On the opening day of the court case, members
of the Garda scuffled outside the courtroom with members of
the media in an attempt to limit access to the hearing (ref
B). The court adjourned the trial until May 19.


4. Comment: With three public events in the past seven
months, Magyar Garda's ability to attract public attention,
as well as some modicum of support, continues to grow.
Dissatisfaction with the current government coalition coupled
with a flagging economy, higher inflation and unemployment
rates - and a tendency to blame membership in international
organizations such as the European Union - provides the Garda
ammunition to "save Hungary for Hungarians." Although all
five parliamentary parties reject Jobbik's and Magyar Garda's
mantra, FIDESZ still faces the toughest challenge in upcoming
elections to appeal to the voters on the right, while at the
same time rejecting the populist, nationalistic right-wing
message.
FOLEY