The official flag-raising ceremony outside Parliament went ahead on Friday morning, in the presence of Speaker László Kövér.

However, the main official ceremony at the National Museum, where President János Áder and Budapest mayor István Tarlós were expected to speak, was called off.

Later, Áder and Kövér presented Kossuth and Széchenyi prizes as well as the Hungarian Order of Merit in Parliament.

In opposition statements, Socialist president Attila Mesterházy said “if free elections are held” next year, then the people will shake off “oppression” because where there is no prosperity and law, there is no freedom either.

Jobbik leader Gábor Vona said as party leaders laid wreaths at the Batthyány eternal flame that Hungarian history is a permanent struggle for freedom, adding that anyone who wants to fight for Hungarian freedom today, must return individual freedoms to people and create jobs.

LMP group leader András Schiffer told a gathering at the Pilvax café that a ruling power which takes advantage of people’s helplessness is implementing arbitrary rule and tyranny.

Source: Hungary Around the Clock

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Source of photo: kormany.hu