It is imperative that we intellectuals belonging to the significant majority of the Hungarian society speak up and reassure those in the Western democracies who are concerned with Hungary’s future, and declare that the Hungarian Government has made no encroachments on the basic democratic rights which the overwhelming majority of Hungary’s inhabitants themselves embrace, as they demonstrated in 1956.
Those Hungarian electors who in 2010 voted the conservative political forces into government with a two-thirds majority, entrusting it with the improvement of social and economic conditions that had severely deteriorated under the previous socialist administrations, feel an especially great responsibility for their homeland. They therefore feel that Hungary should not break away from the democratic community of European nations and the Atlantic world.
The present Hungarian Government, despite external circumstances that have proved more difficult than expected, and despite a few errors they may have made, still enjoys the confidence of this majority. However, Hungarians have had to experience that by throwing in false news and lies and hiding behind democratic slogans, some forces aim to divest our people of the very essential democratic right they cherish − the right to judge the performance and the achievements of our Government at the ballot box.
We hope that such intentions that jeopardise Hungary’s freedom will be crushed vis-à-vis the unbiased public opinion in the Western democracies.
Presidency of the Hungarian Writers’ Association, Presidency of the Hungarian Academy of Arts, Batthyány Society of Professors
