The scandal of the day

Image via Wikipedia/ former Hungarian prime minister Medgyessi

The first news I've read today is from my dear battle playground.

In a period when everybody is complaining about the difficult economic situation and various bidget shortages, in Hungary a new scandal is about to begin. The spark: On the occasion of their national day - 1st of December - Romanian officials applied and succeded in obtaining permission for celebrating their holiday in the National Theater in Budapest. I've read the news on the Hungarian Ambiance, a (very) conservative blog (Somebody correct me if I am wrong).

The scandal: For Hungarian all over the world, 1st of December - celebrated in Romania as the day of the creation of Big Romania - is the day when they lost Transylvania, and celebrating this moment at the National Theater in Budapest is considered at least a gesture of cynicism.

Harsh attacks are directed against the director of the Theater, Róbert Alföldi, coming from the right side of the Hungarian political stage and the requests for his dismisal are the kindiest. The permission was withdrawal meanwhile, but most probably the discussion will continue for another weeks from now.

In 2002, the then prime-minister Péter Medgyessy was accused of treason after deciding to participate to the celebration of the Romanian National Day, at Hotel Kempinski (Interesting, the Hungarian Ambiance is mispelling Medgyessy's name). Hungarian politicians in Romania refused to participate to the local ceremonies, considered as days of mourning.

I am waiting now for a reaction from the Hungarian intellectuals. To be continued.