Áder takes presidential oath of office – UPDATE

Budapest, May 8 (MTI) – János Áder took his presidential oath of office in Hungary’s parliament on Monday.

Parliament decided on March 13 to re-elect him for another five-year term.

In his inauguration address, Áder noted the “dramatic deterioration of public discourse” in Hungary, and advocated the example of Hungary’s historic Compromise with its one-time Habsburg rulers. He argued that “if we continue like this, we will ruin all we built since 1990… everything will be questioned, all agreements will be neglected and all borders crossed.” The example of the 1867 Compromise, however, could “provide momentum to act”; leading politicians of those times may have differed, but they were equally motivated by “the common good” and they always used a respectful tone in their communication, Áder said.

Áder warned that next year’s parliamentary election was drawing near, and said that “most voters will surely not wish to sit on top of an erupting volcano for the next year”. He suggested confirming that “we are all citizens of Europe, we all belong to the Hungarian nation, and we all want a decent, honest, and peaceful life”.

Concerning Hungary being a member of the EU, Áder again cited the example of 1867, when Ferenc Deák, one of the proponents of the Compromise, voiced support for Austria but said that Hungary’s constitutional rights should not be curbed any more than it was just necessary to ensure the stability of the Austrian Empire. The same could apply now, with the empire substituted by the European Union, Áder said.

Áder urged that “the dignity of national holidays should be restored” and called on participants “not to compete in disrupting the events of other parties”. He also urged “the same solidarity” for those persecuted because of their religious beliefs or ethnicity as for others persecuted “because of their roots”.

Áder warned that the privacy of the families of politicians must be respected, with special regard to their children. “Their lives are a private matter” and political discourse should not touch upon their “sexual orientation, religious beliefs or political leanings”, he insisted.

Jobbik urges government parties to ‘listen’ to Áder’s oath-taking remarks

The government parties should “listen” to re-elected President János Áder’s remarks about the sanctity of the family and children, made during his oath-taking speech on Monday, opposition Jobbik said.

They should also take note of his call to nip in the bud “smear campaigns that use secret services methods” or private investigators, Jobbik spokesman István Apáti told a press conference.

Áder was “perhaps trying to clear his guilty conscience this way” but his speech came too late and was not credible, he said. He represents the unity of his party and not of the nation, Apáti added.

Áder will have the opportunity to prove otherwise in the years to come and “if he truly serves national interests”, then Jobbik will reconsider its assessment of the president, Apáti said.

LMP: Inviting referendum on Paks ‘obligation’ for Áder

In his capacity as the re-elected president of Hungary, it will be one of Janos Ader’s most important obligations to invite a referendum on the Paks nuclear power plant upgrade project, the green opposition LMP said on Monday.

Áder said last October that the right for a public vote is one of the most fundamental constitutional rights, LMP co-leader Bernadett Szél told a press conference held jointly with the party’s other co-leader Ákos Hadházy.

Hadházy said that Áder should have raised his voice in response to recent statements by politicians inciting to violence, including one by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Együtt hold demonstration against President Áder in front of the Parliament

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI