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HUNGARIAN SOCIALISTS URGE "MORALLY BANKRUPT" PM TO QUIT OVER SAFAROV CASE
PanARMENIAN.Net
September 12, 2012 - 17:13 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Hungarian prime minister is "morally bankrupt" and
should resign after admitting that he personally approved the transfer
of the Azeri axe murderer while knowing the likely consequences, the
leader of the opposition Socialists said, according to Politics.hu
website.
Attila Mesterhazy said it was clear from Orban's comments at a
news conference on Tuesday September 11 that he had been aware that
Azerbaijan would release the life-sentenced Ramil Safarov after his
repatriation.
Mesterhazy said Orban had been warned by Foreign Minister Janos
Martonyi and Justice Minister Tibor Navracsics about the likely
consequences and he took the decision nevertheless. Orban took this
decision "without thinking"and is the only one to blame for the
scandal, he added.
If Orban refuses to resign, Fidesz lawmakers should try to control him
and prevent his actions from causing further damage to the country,
the Socialist leader said.
Orban told a press conference earlier in the day that "nothing happened
after our decision that we did not expect". He was responding to an
article published by the online news portal origo.hu which accused
Orban of ordering the transfer of Ramil Safarov with full knowledge
that he would be released on his return to his homeland sooner
or later.
Orban said the decision was taken at a government level and all
ministries affected were involved, but he, "naturally, as always,"
had the final say.
Janos Lazar, head of the Prime Minister's Office, rejected news
website origo.hu's information that the issue had been discussed at
a recent Fidesz board session. He said that Prime Minister Viktor
Orban had not given any kind of instruction to transfer Safarov,
nor had he been in a position to.
Mesterhazy insisted that Lazar had been "lying" when he told Origo
that Orban had "not given any orders" to repatriate Safarov.
The topic of the repatriation of the Azeri axe murderer to his native
Azerbaijan was taken off the agenda of the parliamentary national
security committee's Tuesday session at the initiative of ruling
Fidesz deputy Mate Kocsis.
Mesterhazy said he disagreed with this decision, saying a national
security investigation into the transfer would be appropriate.
Safarov, sentenced to life imprisonment for killing an Armenian in
Budapest in 2004, was transferred from Hungary to Azerbaijan on August
31. On arrival in Baku, he was pardoned by the president and released.
Armenia suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary later that day.
PanARMENIAN.Net
September 12, 2012 - 17:13 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Hungarian prime minister is "morally bankrupt" and
should resign after admitting that he personally approved the transfer
of the Azeri axe murderer while knowing the likely consequences, the
leader of the opposition Socialists said, according to Politics.hu
website.
Attila Mesterhazy said it was clear from Orban's comments at a
news conference on Tuesday September 11 that he had been aware that
Azerbaijan would release the life-sentenced Ramil Safarov after his
repatriation.
Mesterhazy said Orban had been warned by Foreign Minister Janos
Martonyi and Justice Minister Tibor Navracsics about the likely
consequences and he took the decision nevertheless. Orban took this
decision "without thinking"and is the only one to blame for the
scandal, he added.
If Orban refuses to resign, Fidesz lawmakers should try to control him
and prevent his actions from causing further damage to the country,
the Socialist leader said.
Orban told a press conference earlier in the day that "nothing happened
after our decision that we did not expect". He was responding to an
article published by the online news portal origo.hu which accused
Orban of ordering the transfer of Ramil Safarov with full knowledge
that he would be released on his return to his homeland sooner
or later.
Orban said the decision was taken at a government level and all
ministries affected were involved, but he, "naturally, as always,"
had the final say.
Janos Lazar, head of the Prime Minister's Office, rejected news
website origo.hu's information that the issue had been discussed at
a recent Fidesz board session. He said that Prime Minister Viktor
Orban had not given any kind of instruction to transfer Safarov,
nor had he been in a position to.
Mesterhazy insisted that Lazar had been "lying" when he told Origo
that Orban had "not given any orders" to repatriate Safarov.
The topic of the repatriation of the Azeri axe murderer to his native
Azerbaijan was taken off the agenda of the parliamentary national
security committee's Tuesday session at the initiative of ruling
Fidesz deputy Mate Kocsis.
Mesterhazy said he disagreed with this decision, saying a national
security investigation into the transfer would be appropriate.
Safarov, sentenced to life imprisonment for killing an Armenian in
Budapest in 2004, was transferred from Hungary to Azerbaijan on August
31. On arrival in Baku, he was pardoned by the president and released.
Armenia suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary later that day.