Is it just a coincidence that when 'normal' middle of the road political Parties hold meetings that there are no national flags to be seen. It is only when the far right Parties such as the UK BNF, or the German Nazis, or the MIEP (not disowned by Fidesz) hold their meetings that National flags are obvious.

Edgar Mehl, London, England

To Monika:

Since we have been living in a democracy in Hungary, we had two right-wing and two left-wing governments. It means 50-50%.

In 2002, after the second left-wing government came into power, their first issue was to increase the wages as of 50%. It was the highest wage-rising since 1989 in Hungary.

Now accusing that "The band of Gyurcsany want to raise the priceis" is nothing but the propaganda of the opposition.

To the election campaign of last year, the opposition made a media-campaign saying "We live now worst then four years ago." The truth was, that the average wages in Hungary have raised about 30% (in purchasing power) under the period of the left-wing government between 2002-2006.

Everybody is free to chose its political sympathy but nobody should lie just to convince others.

Pal Nikk, Budapest, Hungary

Pal Nikk, Budapest, Hungary

Its true that the Arpad flag is an ancient traditional symbol of the Hungarians.
But it is also true, that the hungarian nazis, the National Socialists in 1944 chosed this symbol as to their flag, adding a cross-symbol to it.
Also true, that several hundreds of thousands of hungarian jews were transported to the nazi luiquidation camps under the power of the hungarian National Socialists.
The Hungarians also know that the Arpad flag was used by the so called "Hungarists", a political organization in the 1930ies in Hungary, calling out to segregate the jews. The later National Socialist power was mostly based on the structure and members of the preliminary "Hungarists".
The situation in Hungary now can be looked as being analogic to the 1930ies. Those who fear now say the calling out for the segregation of the jews can be heard again, symbolized with the same flag.
They say, this is how it starts...
Pal Nik

Pal Nikk, Budapest, Hungary

Why not put the current Coat of Arms of Hungary in the centre of the Arpad Flag where the Fascist symbol used to be, or just retain the tricolour a now. The Arpad flag would certainly be more distictive as there are several red, white and green tricolour flags for other nations.

D.Wake, London, United Kingdom

I think Mr Gyurcsany can say whatever he wants, but to me he has lost his credibility and he is only in power because he is the best that the socialists have.
To stick to the subject about flags I don't think that the Arpad flag is a Nazi symbol but I can see how it has became a symbol of right wing extremists, as it was forbidden in the communist era. A Nazi symbol would not have been allowed to be on display in the Parliament either.
I think there is a good museum that explains what happened in the middle of the 20th century in Hungary and it is worth visiting (www.terrorhaza.hu) to understand more on this.
The solution to the present tension lies in the hands of the political elite, first of all in minister Gyurcsany's. A democratic structure and clear democratic decision-making would not have led to street protests, which right-wing extremists have taken the opportunity to hijack.

Szilvia Smith, London, UK

The mediaval Hungarian Kingdom used the Arpad-flag. Those who know the European history knows taht nothing has to do with fascists.
The Arpad-flag is very similar to US flag strips and is a stupid communist ideology that all Americans are fascists.
Please do not belive Gyurcsanyi and his antisemitic gang.

Köves, Budapest, Hungary

Mr LeBor, thank you for your objectivity. You probably think: this is a natural attitude of a journalist. Unfortunately in Hungary the general case is different: here most of the jounalists ask their chief: tell me, please, what is my opinion? Thank you again.

Mihaly Sajgo, Budapest, Hungary

Hi,
I`m Monika Bartok. I`m an Hungarian woman. I live in Netherland, because I can make beter life hier then in Hungary.
I just read what for lies Gyurcsany said to the Times.
If you want to write down the truth and show it to the people, you have to watch what did they do in 5 years, and where did they bring the country. Count how many institute, school and hospital they closed, and how many unemployed they `made`. The life of petty bourgeois is already very hard by them.
The band of Gyurcsany want to raise the priceis to European level. But the wage of the people is not close to the European level. My mother gets between €300-400. She is a nurse. My father has to work in Germany to keep the family. Since the begin of my memory he works abroad. We saw him very rarely. Because there is no other way.
But back to Gyurcsany:
Why do the number of anti-Semite people and comment grow???
You can not hate a men just because. You can not hate a party just because. to be continued

Monika, Haarlem, Netherland

The hole in the Arpad-flag theoretically would be a good compromise, but it would not immediately calm all of them who is against the Arpad-flag.
Because the question is not only to distance or not from bad symbols, but finding symbols for the current opposition or taking away their new way to express their identity (of being against postcommunist).

FILO, Budapest, Hungary

I think Mr Gyurcsany can say whatever he wants about flags and other issues, to me he's lost his credibility and fills his position only because he is the best that the socialists have.
To stick to the subject about flags I can see how a flag forbidden in the socialist regime can be a sentimental tool in the hands of right wing extremists but if it had been a nazi symbol its presence would not have been allowed in the Parliament.
The Terrorhaza muzeum (www.terrorhaza.hu) aims to educate people without bias on the history of the hungarian nazis.
The solution to the present tension requires the political elite to accept their democratic responsibilities and make decisions on a consensus basis. Then, maybe right-wing extremists would not have the opportunity to hijack legitimate protests and riot on the streets.

Szilvia Smith, London, UK