National holiday in Hungary: Thousands protest against Orbano

On a national holiday in Budapest, thousands of people protested against the policies of Prime Minister Orban’s government. In a speech, he announced he would stay on his course – and fired again at the EU.

Thousands of Hungarians demonstrated in Budapest against the school policy of the government of right-wing populist Viktor Orban. Among other things, he demanded better wages for teachers, ideology-free curriculum and the right to strike for teachers.

According to the teachers’ union, 147 teachers have held protests in 61 cities across the country in the past few weeks.

Massive criticism of government curriculum

Orbán says he wants to put society and culture in Hungary on a new “Christian and national basis”. The protests were directed against the government’s control over large parts of the state media and private media, as well as Orban’s good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It is usually celebrated with large government rallies in Budapest on 23 October, with a celebratory speech delivered by the head of government. This time it didn’t happen. Instead, Orban attended a celebration commemorating the start of the 1956 anti-Stalin uprising in Zalegerszeg in western Hungary – in front of strictly shielded and invited guests.

harsh words against brussels

He complained that in 1956 the West had let Hungary down in its fight against the Stalinists. “We will hold on when necessary and fight back when we can,” he said. “We should not worry ourselves with those who shoot from the shadows in Hungary or from the heights of Brussels.”

In his speech, Orban predicted a similar end for the European Union to the Soviet Union. “Let us not concern ourselves with those who shoot at Hungary from the shadows or from the heights of Brussels. They will end up as their predecessors did.” The Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991.

Orban, who describes his style of government as “conservative democracy”, is facing EU sanctions that accuse him of violating democratic values ​​and the rule of law in the community. That’s why Brussels stopped subsidies for Hungary.