For the first time since Hungary became a democracy its entire top tier of leaders met to discuss how the nation could handle the growth of right wing extremists groups who have displayed their hate in public against groups such as gays. Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany told the press, “What you witnessed here, was a meeting of historic significance. never since the change of the regime have all the high public dignitaries met to discuss their positions on a case that concerns all Hungarians.” The case in point was the annual Gay March in Budapest which was subject to attacks by neo-Nazi thugs. “We are fed up,” said the prime minister with such anti-democratic actions. The meeting made clear, “the elementary rights of the Hungarian Republic include the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, as well as the freedom for everybody to define his or her cultural, religious or sexual identity.”

The prime minister insisted “we want the democracy of freedom and dignity, not an ‘egg democracy.’ We all agreed we must restrain all forms of extremism.” There will be an attempt to define how the rights of people can be protected without endangering the right of opposing other people and their values. This is always an issue for any democracy.