Maybe You are able to spread this important appeal!
http://andrassew.blogspot.com/2011/03/dear-friends.html
Dear friends,
On the anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 considering it to be the
birth of the freedom of press, I would like to send a message to my friends all
around the world. Thank you for being numerous and special thanks for not
letting down Hungary and her weakening democracy in agony. For what I am going
to say now, I am going to be labelled as a traitor by the ruling government,
let alone by its propaganda machine. But I don't care.
I am asking all the world's journalists, politicians and every single
individual who acknowledge and understand what democracy is and what the
relevance of the freedom of press in democracy can be, to disgrace the
Hungarian government and the embodiment of its power: Prime Minister Viktor
Orban. All possible means can be used in doing so until the media law is
revoked and negotiated again with all who might be concerned. You needn't feel
sorry for him since he does the same with his real or alleged enemies;
philosophers, musicians and theatre people. Make him understand that repressing
and destroying the media is not only destroying universal human rights, but it
is also a dangerous way of exercising his power. Possible conflicts cannot be
handled peacefully without the press and independent institutions.
Should wind turn, the Hungarian government has to face not with a democratic
opposition, but hideous violence. It is our national interest that Europe and
political forces worldwide ought to intervene in seemingly internal affairs.
Your efforts in support are appreciated, but I ask every decision-maker to pay
attention to not causing any more economic damage to the Hungarian people and
nation while imposing measures on our country. Even the freedom of press is not
worth sacrificing human lives, because vast numbers of Hungarians are already
in poverty, so many people are on the verge of a hunger riot. This winter,
hundreds of our fellow citizens already died of cold in their homes for the
lack of heating.
I am asking everyone not to concern about the Hungarian media law. This is not
the only instrument that can lead to ruin the independent press. A more
advanced method has been introduced. State firms and offices are banned from
advertising in left wing and liberal papers and the electronic media. Moreover,
in a faint and scary atmosphere even private companies dare not to advertise in
liberal and independent media for fearing to be blackmailed by the government.
Consequently, left wing media is not able to pay salaries to journalists,
however, if they do so, payroll is far behind time. This situation resulted in
that journalist are not able to pay their dues, their homes are about to be
foreclosed. They can finally lose everything. Why? For the simple reason of not
willing to serve the power.
We are not begging for money, but we kindly ask you to draw the attention of
your governments, NGOs and enterprises based either in Hungary or worldwide to
help the Hungarian left wing media by providing them with advertisements. This
is almost as important as forcing the media law to be revoked. It can happen
that by the time the media law will have been fully implemented this July, no
left wing media remains to be overseen.
I work for a 138-year-old newspaper. Ever since my paper was established, there
has not been a single period when they did not want to break and ban us, or to
force us to do penal servitude. Our journalists have regularly been beaten and
spoiled, also imprisoned, or just been murdered. Not only in wartime, but also
in peacetime.
This is a peaceful period. Everything appeared to be all right: we could live
and work in liberty provided by the European Union. We were wrong.
We feel ashamed but we rather ask for your gracious help for our survival
instead of craving our existence from a power that runs a dictatorship.
Written by Ivan Andrassew,
Chief editor of Op-Ed pages of Népszava, Hungarian left wing daily, Republic of
Hungary
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