Hungarian PM refuses to go away

BUDAPEST- Another big crowd was expected to gather in the Hungarian capital yesterday after 20 000 protesters against Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany filled the central Kossuth Square on Saturday night, the biggest demonstration since they began a week ago.

By midmorning yesterday, about 150 protesters were in Kossuth Square, but organisers expected another large crowd later demanding Gyurcsany’s resignation after he admitted his government lied about the dire economic state of the economy. In an interview published yesterday, Gyurcsany said he still planned to seek his party’s chairmanship next year and that the results of next Sunday’s municipal elections would not affect his plans.”Neither the government’s actions nor what happens in the party depend on the final outcome (of the elections),” Gyurcsany told the Vasarnap Reggel newspaper.”I’m going to fight for these policies and part of it is the modernisation of the Socialist Party.”Unlike previous protests, no violent incidents were reported and police said they had detained six people for minor infractions during Saturday’s rally.One Socialist Party office was vandalised and another set on fire around Hungary, but there were no reports of injuries.Protesters vowed to continue demonstrating even after the municipal elections.”Our protest will not cease until the Cabinet resigns,” said Tamas Molnar, one of the organisers.”We want to bring down the current post-communist government.”Molnar also said they were planning to launch a “peaceful, friendly and creative” civic resistance campaign on Sunday, without providing more details.The protest was also joined by those who had planned to join a political rally by Fidesz, the main opposition party, before it was postponed due to security concerns.Nampa-APIn an interview published yesterday, Gyurcsany said he still planned to seek his party’s chairmanship next year and that the results of next Sunday’s municipal elections would not affect his plans.”Neither the government’s actions nor what happens in the party depend on the final outcome (of the elections),” Gyurcsany told the Vasarnap Reggel newspaper.”I’m going to fight for these policies and part of it is the modernisation of the Socialist Party.”Unlike previous protests, no violent incidents were reported and police said they had detained six people for minor infractions during Saturday’s rally.One Socialist Party office was vandalised and another set on fire around Hungary, but there were no reports of injuries.Protesters vowed to continue demonstrating even after the municipal elections.”Our protest will not cease until the Cabinet resigns,” said Tamas Molnar, one of the organisers.”We want to bring down the current post-communist government.”Molnar also said they were planning to launch a “peaceful, friendly and creative” civic resistance campaign on Sunday, without providing more details.The protest was also joined by those who had planned to join a political rally by Fidesz, the main opposition party, before it was postponed due to security concerns.Nampa-AP