Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-22-Speech-2-229"
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"en.20021022.15.2-229"2
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". – Mr President, first of all I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the European Parliament for commemorating the Hungarian revolution of 1956. I stand here to address you for the first time at the Plenary in Hungarian. Hopefully, it will very soon be one of the official languages of the European Union.
Great European thinkers, such as Albert Camus, François Mauriac and Boris Pasternak, to mention just a few, recognised the special importance of those events. Albert Camus wrote in November 1956: 'There is a genuine Europe which is united in resisting tyranny in the name of truth and freedom. Today, thousands of Hungarian freedom fighters die for this Europe'. François Mauriac saw the historical achievements of the Revolution this way: 'When the stronger side is systematically inhuman, then perhaps the course of history is set by the will of the weaker'.
Camus and Mauriac both understood then that the collapse of the Revolution was probably unavoidable, that raw power would triumph again for a while. On the darkest day of reprisals and terror, 24 June 1958, when Imre Nagy, Prime Minister of the Revolution, was executed, Boris Pasternak sent a postcard to Budapest in French. Disregarding Soviet and Hungarian censorship, as well as the personal risk he was taking, he wrote to his Hungarian friend Gyula Illyés, author of a dramatic poem entitled 'A sentence on tyranny': 'Whom can I possibly tell how saddened and shocked I am by the resurgence of inhuman atrocities, which we thought had gone for ever …'.
As these witnesses of history put it, in this European moment the voices of truth and freedom were much weaker than those of tyranny and systematic cruelty. It showed the course of history, as Mauriac said. These, and the moral courage and noble spirit which Pasternak demonstrated even under the rule of tyranny, are the real spiritual values of Europe.
From the many personal stories told, we know that the 1956 Revolution in Hungary was a turning point in the lives of many leading European politicians. It influenced them in their choice of political career. That was when totalitarian dictatorship was finally unmasked. Anyone who still had illusions about it realised its true meaning.
During the era of retaliation after 1956, hundreds of thousands of Hungarians fled to the West. A multitude of talented and honest Hungarians showed the world what they were capable of when granted equal conditions, fair competition and solidarity, whether in Europe or in America. They did much in order to keep up western awareness that the eastern part of Europe must not be abandoned.
While paying tribute to the memory of 1956, please allow me to express my thanks at this outstanding European forum to you for the helping hand extended to 200 000 Hungarians. Let us remember too those Western Europeans, who risked their lives in the Hungarian Revolution: journalists, ordinary people and one particular person who gave his life for the Revolution, the noble and great Danish diplomat Bang-Jensen.
Please forgive me for having spent so much time on one historical event, the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. I did so because this very spirit triumphed in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989-1990. We know that this was a victory for the whole of Europe, paving the way until the Berlin Wall fell, as Mr Cox said. The task is still the same: to remain faithful to this spirit. It is not easy. It is an enormous task which has to be broken down into small, troublesome, everyday tasks.
Let me quote Camus again. In his essay 'The Blood of Hungarians' he said: 'It is hard for us to be worthy of so much sacrifice. Yet we must try. Let us forget our disputes, reconsider our mistakes, multiply our efforts and solidarity in a Europe which will ultimately and finally unite.'
The untiring energy of the martyrs and the heroes of 1956, the remembrance of the people, have maintained this faith and strength.
The big task for us now is to join the European Union. That includes everything that our peaceful revolution of 1989-1990 meant and still means to us: intellectual, legal and political reconstruction, transformation of the economy, the catching-up process that has been going on for the past 12 or 13 years. The road is difficult, the pace is tremendous. There is a lot of joy and success, there are lots of sacrifices and achievements. But we had no choice but to follow our hearts and interests and catch up with the European Union as soon as possible.
The European Union enlargement process is a historical opportunity for us in Hungary. But it is historical for you too. However, it does make a difference where the frontiers of the European Union will run. We are convinced that without us a united Europe would be just a political torso. Europe was always weakened when the centre was pushed towards the West and cut off from the rest of Europe.
And now the dictates of history and the will of the European Union are clear to us: the Central and East European countries are to be admitted as members of the European Union.
Now, for the first time, we can say with great certainty that Hungary will be a member of the EU in the foreseeable future. The European Commission's 2002 report on Hungary's progress towards accession and the strategy paper evaluating the candidate countries listed Hungary amongst those countries that can conclude the accession negotiations before the end of this year and join the European Union in 2004. The positive outcome of the referendum in Ireland removed another obstacle in the way of enlargement. I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the Irish people for their responsible decision.
For us, the importance of accession goes well beyond just political, economic, financial and administrative integration. We wish to become a member country in a Community built on common European values, values which have nourished our civilisation for thousands of years. But we have to fight for them every day. We are indebted to the citizens of our countries; we must make sure that they become citizens of the European Union on the basis of equality.
The equal dignity of all human beings must stand at the centre of European values. A common Europe bears the same responsibility for all the citizens of Europe – for us Hungarians, too.
Popular support for Hungary's accession to the European Union is very high in our country today. Surveys and polls predict a 70-80% 'yes' vote. Hungarian citizens have a very positive picture of Europe and want Hungary to be an equal member in the community of European nations.
The unification of Europe is not just a political slogan. We believe that unity must be reflected in the conditions of accession as well. It is very important for us to join the European Union, but it is also important to do so under fair conditions. To be more specific, no policy can prevail for long if it differentiates between old and new members, for example in agriculture, direct payments or the allocation of financial resources. We must create the appropriate conditions so that Hungarian citizens feel the advantages of membership from the very first moment, and see better and better opportunities for catching up.
Speaking of equality, may I just mention a problem of which I am sure you are well aware. As a matter of fact, we do enjoy the support of the European Parliament on this matter. On the basis of population, Hungary is entitled to 22, not 20, seats in the European Parliament after accession, although the Treaty of Nice suggests 20. If it is less than 22, the principle of proportional representation would be infringed.
With your permission, however, I would anticipate this possibility now and will continue my address in Hungarian. You will have the opportunity to listen to it in English, hopefully with a good interpretation.
Equality for all citizens in Europe also means that everyone must be considered a member, without discrimination. The poor and those people living on the margins of society are also part of the EU. Europe must not exclude one single person. Everyone must be integrated, regardless of social and cultural background. Hungary wants to enhance the Europe of solidarity. We Hungarians also have a lot to do in this field.
Our special responsibility is to improve the social conditions of the underprivileged Roma population in Hungary, and promote their social integration. This is a task of historical magnitude. In the past few years, Hungarian governments have taken important steps towards improving the institutional, financial and social conditions of the Roma. But we know we have to do even more. We need a complex set of instruments, including government action and a wide range of ongoing social measures.
Obviously, this is a European and not just a Hungarian problem. We are not trying to evade our responsibility, but we do count on European experience and support. Good solutions wherever we find them could serve as a model for other European countries struggling with similar problems.
Enlargement will bring advantages not only to new Member States, but also to the current Member States of the Union and their citizens. The symbolic power behind the peaceful and democratic reunification of Europe is invaluable for all. After enlargement, European cultural diversity will increase. It will bring considerable economic advantages to the present Member States when the markets expand. European division and uncertainty will be replaced by stability and overall security. Opportunities will be opened up for settling disputes peacefully. The different ethnic communities will have a better chance of living together in harmony. So the Union will have enormous economic, political and social potential to combat the harmful effects of globalisation.
The Hungarian participants in the European Convention are faced more and more with the question of what kind of European Union Hungary will be joining.
Hungary is ready to keep going on the road to integration, towards a united Europe. Should it be necessary, Hungary will be ready, after careful consideration, to agree to the joint exercise of more powers. As a lawyer, I find it natural that the European Union should have a legal personality in the international field.
As regards security, 11 September 2001 was a clear and painful reminder of our responsibility to create a strong and united Union, capable of rapid and efficient action, as part of the transatlantic community.
It is important to us that, after the institutional reforms, the people accept the European Union institutions, so that they have real legitimacy and so that democratic values are fully implemented. A European Constitution should provide a framework for those reforms.
We believe it is important for minority rights to be respected in a united Europe. We wish to maintain and strengthen relations with Hungarians living in neighbouring countries. The Copenhagen criteria set for the candidate countries include respect for minority rights. We find that the Charter of Fundamental Rights does not define the collective rights of minorities. It is necessary that the collective rights of minorities be guaranteed by appropriate instruments.
In the course of the integration process, Hungary is emphasising the preservation of national identity and culture. We feel we have a better chance of doing this within the European Union than if we stand alone and wrestle with the positive and negative effects of globalisation.
I stand here deeply moved and overwhelmed when I recall with you the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, its martyrs and heroes. 23 October 1956 was an important moment in Europe. We could even say what happened in Hungary in 1956 was European history itself.
Europe in the twenty-first century must be a community where the main pillars are the preservation and enhancement of historical, linguistic and cultural identities and diversity, where national cultures will exercise a mutual influence.
May I finish by saying that the idea of a unified Europe in the twentieth century was inspired by cultural sources in earlier centuries. Europe is primarily a cultural community that grew out of the past and without cohesion forces between national cultures it simply cannot exist. That is our faith and our belief.
Both in Budapest and all over the country, the people rose up and fought for freedom and democracy so that this country could once again be part of Europe. The Revolution grew into a freedom fight for the independence and sovereignty of Hungary. The people had fought their revolution and freedom fight. Thousands and thousands went to the barricades. The people were determined and they won.
We were enriched in those days by wonderful examples of personal courage, heroism and self-sacrifice. On a single bloody morning, almost 100 people died in front of the parliament building in Budapest. As a result of the uprising, the political regime collapsed and, in a few days, the forces of Hungarian society established their own administration units in the form of workers' and national councils.
The leaders of the Revolution were aware that we Hungarians could not defend our independence and regime on our own. The freedom fight came under attack by foreign troops on 4 November 1956 and was crushed a few days later, though resistance went on for quite a while. Bloody retaliation followed. Hundreds were executed, tens of thousands imprisoned.
23 October 1956 was perhaps the most European moment in our recent European and Hungarian history. The European and Hungarian spirit of freedom proved it would never surrender, it would never give in to the might of totalitarianism."@en1
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