Answering a question about press reports suggesting that the government was tabling a bill that would mandate that the leaders of civil organisations file asset declarations,

Nemeth told a press conference that the “false NGOs” of the “Soros empire”, which he said were being funded to advance “global capital and the world of political correctness” by circumventing national governments, needed to be “repelled by any means possible”. “I think they should be cleared away from here,” Németh said.

He said the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency presented an “international opportunity” to fight off Soros-backed civil groups. László Szakács, the Socialist Party’s deputy parliamentary group leader, said Németh’s comments that civil groups need to be “cleared away” from Hungary conjured up the language of dictatorships.

“Only oppressive regimes threaten civil groups in this manner,” Szakacs said in a statement, adding that Németh’s comments were an “open and brutal demonstration of the arrogance of tyrannical power”.

Szakács said politicians who consider themselves democrats could not make such comments and called on Németh to resign. He said that if Prime Minister “Viktor Orbán and company abandoned their corrupt ways they would not have to fear the scrutiny of NGOs”.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.