Today in Parliament, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ordered Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér to ensure that on the day of the March of the Living, it will be impossible to organise events of a political nature that may violate the marchers’ human dignity.

The March of the Living Foundation is commemorating the victims of the Holocaust in Hungary on 21 April. The aim of the event at which tens of thousands of people are expected to participate, is also to support the establishment of Hungary that is free of racism and extremism. Coinciding with this event, a nationalist biker’s association is organising a march under the slogan “Give gas”, which the Government regards as highly distasteful.

The Prime Minister stated that the safety, undisturbed remembrance and human dignity of the participants of the March of the Living would be assured with all available means.

The Prime Minister declared his decision in reaction to a speech by socialist MP Pál Steiner and went on to say that he agreed that all attempts to disregard and even purposefully violate the dignity, history and pride of certain ethnic groups while insulting human dignity are not just performed in poor taste, but are deeply hurtful and contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. “I categorically reject all such behaviour”, he remonstrated.

He emphasized that the March of the Living is about the victory of life, and especially for a community before whose suffering the citizens of Hungary and all good-minded Hungarian people bow their heads at the appropriate time. In the spirit of these sentiments, Viktor Orbán ordered Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér to ensure that it would be impossible to organise events of a political nature that may violate the marchers' human dignity on the day of the March of the Living. In his reply, Pál Steiner thanked the Prime Minister for his direct answer and determined action.

The Ministry of Interior issued a statement saying that the Budapest police force will ban the demonstration of motorcyclists using all legislative means since the time and route of the event as well as its provocative slogan offend every good-minded person.

Similarly, Fidesz Parliamentary Group Leader Antal Rogán stated already on Sunday that those who time a demonstration to coincide with the March of the Living are obviously motivated by provocative purposes. As a politician and a participant of the March of the Living, he deeply condemns this discreditable behaviour.

(Prime Minister's Office)