Steven N.This past Saturday marked the 102nd anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Trianon, which ended Hungary’s participation in World War I through the loss of signficant territory and citizens. In 2010, Fidesz declared June 4 the “Day of National Unity,” and most political parties typically share their thoughts on a difficult part of Hungarian history.
While the Democratic Coalition (DK) did not officially issue a statement on the anniversary of Trianon this year, the party’s mayor of Budapest District VII, Péter Niedermüller, nevertheless expressed his views on the subject:
Let’s think about those Hungarians who, thanks to Trianon, live better in Romania, Slovakia, and other neighboring countries, than we do here in Hungary.
-wrote Niedermüller in a Facebook post.
He added that while Hungarians within the borders defined by Trianon ended up with “Orbán, politics based on lies, cheap stupid nationalist demagoguery, and all-pervading corruption,” Hungarians across the border “have remained free, in an open society, belonging to Europe, with a better life and hope for the future.”
Ruling party Fidesz also responded to the mayor’s post on Sunday afternoon, writing in a statement sent to MTI that “Péter Niedermüller should leave Hungarian public life immediately and apologize for his disgraceful statement!” The governing party also asked DK’s allies to “distance themselves from this harsh attack on our national self-esteem.” [Telex]
