Kálnoky (2013) reported on the somewhat paradoxical judgment of a Hungarian court. It sentenced nine Rroma because of racist acts. They are reported to have attacked members of the racist Hungarian Guard. Already in 2010, several Rroma were convicted of racially motivated violence. At that time, the decisive evidence for the verdict was a stick marked with “Death to Magyar”. Magyar is the name given to the members of the Hungarian majority society. The judgment of the court is somewhat sensitive,  as the banned Hungarian Guard had held a meeting in the village in question with the aim of intimidating the local Rroma. The indictment of racial hatred in the condemnation ignored this context.

The Hungarian Council for Mass Media has fined for the newspaper “Magyar Hirlap” of the right-wing populist Zolt Bayer for incitement of hatred against the Rroma. Bayer had compared the Rroma with animals and called for their extermination. The reason behind these inflammatory articles was a conflict between Hungarians and Rroma on New Year’s Eve 2012/2013 was (Stimme Russlands, 2013).

In a public announcement, The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has described Rroma as being the “hidden resource and reserve the Hungarian economy”. He wants to distance himself from the positions of his Fidesz party, which has repeatedly been accused of racism against members of the minority. This January, the government has introduced an Arbitration Council for Roma Affairs, headed by Orban himself. He stated a goal to provide 100,000 Rroma with a job by 2015 and to promote education among them so that they may find their place in the Hungarian future (The Press, 2013).

Sources:

• Die Presse (2013) Ungarn: Orban nennt Roma “verborgene Ressource”. In: Die Presse vom 7.5.2013.
• Kálnoky, Boris (2013) “Rassismus” gegen Rassisten – Haftstrafen für Roma. In: Die Welt vom 9.5.2013.
• Stimme Russlands (2013) Ungarische Zeitung muss Geldstrafe wegen Anti-Roma-Aussagen zahlen. In: Stimme Russlands vom 9.5.2013.

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