"I cried when I saw them marching," says Janos Farkas, the spokesman for the village's 450-strong Roma community which centres around a dirt road in a shallow valley at the edge of the village ... "I can't see how this could happen in a democratic country? The police are now present, but why did they let it go on for three weeks?" asks Farkas.

The Garda are welcomed with open arms in the majority of villages and towns and even foreigners feel intimidated by them. Usually, the Roma issue is discussed with such venomous hatred that many friends of ours suppress their true opinions. Unless the issues of education, training and employment are addressed, I see no resolution and believe vigilante patrols will only increase.

Having gotten in to the European Union Hungary appears to be moving backwards in a lot of areas, with discrimination of minorities being just one of them. So for example there is increasing anti semitism as well

Hungary may well also be backsliding in democracy with new laws restraining the media. According to openDemocracy "The new media rules (totaling more than 200 pages) require all outlets, public and private, to register with a powerful new regulatory authority whose five-person board is to be composed entirely of [Prime Minister] Fidesz nominees. That authority is empowered to probe whether media reporting is “objective and balanced,” and to impose punishing fines or even closures on offenders; it may also require reporters to disclose their sources in the interest of “national security and public order.”"^[2] Although the laws have been watered down a bit to meet EU requirements they are still worrying.

Unfortunately the harassment at Gyongyospat is part of a worrying trend, implying that yes indeed it could recur elsewhere in Hungary.

1. ^ Michael J. Jordan, Have hate politics returned to Hungary?, Foreign Policy, 13/7/10, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/07/13/rise_of_the_hungarian_right?page=0,1
2. ^ Constanze Stelzenmüller, Hungary's new media law shows contempt for democracy, the separation of powers and core European ideals, opendemocracy, 8/1/11, http://www.opendemocracy.net/constanze-stelzenm%C3%BCller/hungarys-new-media-law-shows-contempt-for-democracy-free-speech-and-separati

Embassy of the Republic of Hungary

Washington, DC

Mr. Ian Hancock

I have read your letter carefully, and could not agree more on the necessity of condemning all forms of discrimination and violence whenever and wherever they occur. The Government of Hungary stands for the promotion of tolerance and protection of human rights. As you might know, Hungary has made the social inclusion of the Roma community a priority of the Hungarian Presidency of the European Union in the first half of this year.

Following the anti-Roma march in the village of Gyöngyöspata, and the illegal patrolling of vigilante groups in the area designed to intimidate the Roma residents, the Government of Hungary took immediate and proactive measures to protect the Roma communities and issued a statement condemning these actions that reads as follows:

“Harmony among its citizenry is the foundation of Hungary’s economic and cultural development. Some irresponsible people have attempted to disrupt this harmony in Gyöngyöspata, and it has been reported that there are plans to make similar attempts in other settlements.

There can be no place in Hungary for acts of racism, or for actions aimed against nationalities within our country. The Government of National Priorities is determined to defend its country’s citizens, regardless of their ethnic, cultural or social identity. The Ministry of Internal Affairs shall not tolerate the intimidation of minorities or ethnic groups within Hungary.

If any person or any organization should descend to committing acts of intimidation or violence, the Hungarian authorities shall take immediate and decisive action against them.

The Hungarian police force is the guarantor of public order, and it shall take all action necessary to ensure that people in our country can live in safety and free from fear.”

Let me assure you that the Government of Hungary and the local police force have acted, and will continue to act, responsibly and take all necessary actions to guarantee the safety and human rights for all its citizens, including the Roma.

Sincerely yours,

András Szörényi

First Secretary

Embassy of Hungary

3910 Shoemaker St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20008

Tel: (202) 362-3284, Fax: (202) 966-8135