Chances of change were bolstered by many factors, "including the wish to restore lost equality before the law, the rule of law and democracy".

"We must create a community amid our inevitable diversity and disagreement where human dignity and our right to self-determination is represented as strongly as possible. The state has -- or should have -- a special role in that," he said.

Re-thinking the Hungarian state must be based on the protection of human rights and respect for human dignity, he said.

At the same time, Karacsony said: "We must not forget that our love of the country must be bigger than our disdain for the power trampling on it. Change is worthy of support only if it aims for a country that is a home for everyone."

He said change must come with a new constitution: "Today's Fundamental Law is protecting the powers that be from citizens" while a constitution should do the opposite, he said. That constitution should be supported by a referendum, he added.

"By August 20 next year, we may see whether we will be free citizens or oppressed subjects of a state that should exist for all of us, rather than for those in power," Karacsony said.

Meanwhile, Magyar said on August 20th: 'Love your country, build tomorrow'

"Love your country and build tomorrow," opposition Tisza Party leader Peter Magyar said at an event marking the August 20 national holiday where a ten-point party programme dubbed Saint Stephen Programme was announced.

Magyar said in Pannonhalma, in western Hungary, that a country stands on is firmly grounded if it is characterised by "peace in souls, order in law and work and dignity in everyday life".

Throughout history, Hungarians had always managed to "stand up, shake the dust off and start anew because the command of Saint Stephen to build, keep order and stay a part of Europe was ingrained in us".

Magyar said that "our population is on the decline, our villages are becoming empty, and our health is more fragile than our neighbours'". "The waiting lists are longer than what our patience can tolerate... our education has been stuck in the mid-field ... there are problems and shortages with water ... the air is being filled with slow-killing poison".

At the same time, "those in power are only concerned with themselves instead of serving the nation", he said. "Whispered promises from the east suggest that it is easier to accept compromise than to remain standing," he added.

Magyar said the party was announcing its ten-point programme not only for four years but for the length of a generation.

First, he said the demographic decline would be stopped by 2030 and the number of Hungarians would return to over 10 million by 2050.

Second, life expectancy of Hungarians will increase to at least 80 by the year 2035.

The third point is that the mass exodus of Hungarians will be stopped by 2030, and a new programme dubbed Your country is waiting for you will aim to increase the number of Hungarians returning to the country by 200,000 over eight years.

Fourth, the Tisza government will offer 1 billion forints (EUR 25.3) for community development for every ten village, he said.

Further, a "21st century super hospital" will be built in every region, and district medical facilities and the ambulance service will be strengthened.

In the sixth point, Hungary will return to the top league of central Europe by 2035, and in line wit the seventh point the proportion of renewable energy will be doubled by 2040, and Hungary's dependence on Russian energy will be discontinued by 2030, he said.

In line with the eighth point, the critical drought situation will be addressed immediately, and in line with the ninth point, air pollution will be reduced to below the healthy threshold for 90 percent of the time, he added.

In line with the tenth point of the Saint Stephen Programme, local governments will get back their freedom, independence, powers and resources, Magyar said.

Ruling Fidesz group leader Mate Kocsis said that Tisza Party's leader had been "talking a lot of nonsense" at a national holiday event in Pannonhalma.

Kocsis said on Facebook that there was not much more Magyar could do considering that "his real programme will be written in Brussels by those that pay him:" Manfred Weber és Ursula von der Leyen. "

"Peter Magyar is only a puppet who will have to act in a servile manner and fulfil the migration pact, represent the pro-war policies and all the other dictates by Brussels. But he forgot to talk about those," Kocsis added.

 

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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