HUNGARY:The holiday atmosphere in Budapest belies a deeply divided Hungary, writes Daniel McLaughlin
Hundreds of thousands of people thronged Budapest yesterday on Hungary's national day, defying the country's deep political divisions and grim memories of the disaster that struck last year's celebrations.
Then, five people were killed and hundreds injured when a freak storm hit Budapest just as the traditional August 20th fireworks display was starting on the banks of the Danube.
Trees were uprooted, advertising hoardings and refreshments stalls tossed around, and small boats on the river capsized as 120km/h (80mph) winds and torrential rain wrought havoc on the day when Hungary remembers its first king, St Stephen.
Last night, another huge fireworks display was planned and officials insisted that, amid warnings of potential storms, the safety of the predicted one million spectators would be the priority in a city that has endured a tumultuous and sometimes violent year.
Local families mingled with tourists yesterday beside the Danube, as green, white and red Hungarian flags fluttered along its bridges and folk songs and classical music mingled with the whine of aerobatic aircraft plunging low over the water beneath the walls of Buda Castle.
The holiday atmosphere gave no indication of the faultlines that run through Hungarian society and politics, save, perhaps, for the occasional red-and-white-striped banner that waved above the crowds.
The Arpad Stripes were part of a medieval coat of arms that became associated with the Nazi-allied Arrow Cross, a fascist party that ruled Hungary towards the end of the second World War.
The flag was much in evidence at anti-government demonstrations which, less than a month after last August's storm-tossed holiday, degenerated into violence when a few hundred protesters stormed the national television station, smashing windows and setting cars ablaze as they went. More than 150 people, mostly police, were injured in fighting that marred the first night of more than a month of rallies outside parliament which failed to dislodge the Socialist government.
Tension mounted, however, as Hungarians prepared to mark the 50th anniversary of their uprising against communism and Soviet domination, on October 23rd.
After a day of events to recall the doomed revolt of 1956, running battles broke out between a few hundred protesters and riot police, resulting in injury to more than 120 people and the bizarre sight of a Soviet-era tank rumbling through Budapest for a few hundred yards in the hands of demonstrators who drove it away from an open-air exhibition.
The violence shocked the moderate majority of Hungarians, and failed to oust a prime minister whose austerity measures and admission that he lied about the dire state of the economy to win re-election sparked the protests.
Cutbacks to state services, redundancies and tax rises intended to balance Hungary's budget are biting hard, and the division between left and right is deepening, with the right-wing Fidesz opposition party lambasting the government for incompetence and a lack of patriotism, and the Socialists in turn accusing Fidesz of encouraging violent nationalism.
Where families strolled yesterday and fireworks erupted last night, the first 56 members of a far-right Hungarian Guard will be inducted this Saturday, when the controversial new movement undergoes its public unveiling at Buda Castle. The Hungarian Guard says its purpose is to safeguard Hungarian identity and culture, and take part in "civil defence" and emergency operations, although critics, including Jewish groups, rail against its black uniforms and insignia that resemble those used by the Arrow Cross.
Gabor Vona, founder of the guard and leader of the far-right Jobbik party that holds seats on many local councils, says the new organisation might also teach its members how to shoot, and urges Hungarians to be on guard for attack from Romania, Slovakia and Serbia - which gained territory when Hungary was carved up after the first World War, and are home to significant Hungarian minorities.
"It is not (terrorists) but rather other Nato member states whose potential attacks we should watch out for, and especially from our neighbouring countries," Mr Vona said recently.
"In 1913, men and women were happily dancing all over the world, and a year later the first World War broke out. Better to be safe than sorry." Fidesz has been roundly criticised for failing to distance itself from the guard, and for allegedly courting far-right groups to boost its ratings.
Fidesz denies the charges and, in deeply divided Hungary, its calls for a new premier and snap elections are cheered and derided in equal measure.