Jobbik to sue Socialist Party leader for defamation and slander

Unacceptable remarks

Jobbik began proceedings today at the Budapest Central District Court against Attila Mesterházy, for both defamation and slander, announced the party’s vice-chairman Gábor Szabó.

In the late hours of 11th April 2010 the defeated MSZP Prime Ministerial nominee held an international press conference, with the aim of conceding his party’s electoral rout. During the course of which instead of acknowledging his party’s failure, he chose to make statements intended to undermine the Movement for a Better Hungary, including one in which he called the party “Fascist.”

“Jobbik is not a Fascist party,” said Mr Szabó. “The truth, is that it is a legally registered Movement, operating entirely lawfully, which not only enjoys considerable support from society, but also performs all its activities within the accepted bounds of parliamentary democratic practise.”

“No Jobbik leader, member or sympathizer,” he continued, “has ever been the servant of an extremist political tyranny. Neither have any of our emblems ever been the symbols of authoritarianism. Nor have any of us sought to gain exclusive political power, through violence or other means. The same most certainly cannot be said for the precursor of the MSZP, of which a great many current Socialist politicians were a part.”

“Is this not the same Attila Mesterházy who cautioned against a mindset which labels entire communities, not too long ago?”

The move by Jobbik comes in addition to its initiation of a libel suit against the Hungarian channel ATV, for making similarly preposterous statements concerning Jobbik’s funding.

It can also be revealed that the Movement for a Better Hungary has been amassing evidence, and seeking legal advice in Europe, over the kind of statements that purposefully, and knowingly inaccurately, defame the over 855,000 Hungarians who voted for Jobbik in the first round of elections.