On occasion of the vote about lifting his immunity
12th September 2011

Mr. Speaker, Honourable House,
To put it simply: what the prosecution states is untrue. In plain, everyday language I could say: they are lying. Not a single word of what they say, what they have sent to Parliament, nothing of the accusation is correct.
My government and I worked to bring an investment to Hungary that would have brought 1 billion dollars and would have provided jobs for 2500 people. To the present day I believe that this investment would have served the interest of Hungary. I believe that those – the then opposition and present governing majority, and also some of the present opposition parties – who were vehemently opposed to such an investment, acted against the interest of Hungary and the Hungarian people.
The Prosecution accuses me of abuse of office. Abuse of office because – all concerned leaders and institutions of the government having stated that the cause was a beneficial and important one for Hungary – “the prime minister assured the investors of his good will”, as one of the witnesses heard by the civil court testified. I would still do the same today. If it is a crime to say to the members of the government, the institutions under the direction of the government, to do their job for the good of Hungary, then I have committed that crime not once but dozens of times.
Honourable Assembly,
On the face of it, we are faced with a legal case. But only on the face of it. What’s happening here is a plain and obvious political showdown. Some do not believe this. To them I can only say: they should read, or listen to, and think about a statement made by prime minister Orbán in 2007. He said he had learned that once he had the chance, he would have to kill his political opponent. Without hesitation. Then, not that anyone had a doubt about who he meant, he added: “I would rather see Gyurcsány dead than wounded”.
I believe that in this case, the prime minister and his party can neither kill me, nor even injure me. What they will achieve is to strengthen my belief that Hungary is now under the rule of an atrocious regime. And that every honest democrat has the duty to step up against this regime with pride, resolve and – as the prime minister said – without hesitation. This is our duty.
Am I guilty? In court and before the law: no, I am not. Politically and in the eyes of the prime minister and his party, of course, yes. They do not forgive the fact that both in 2002 and 2006, when their breasts were swelling with self-assurance, we beat them convincingly. And they have never forgiven since the fact that I belong to those – and many of us belong to those – who, in spite of all threats, pressure and a whole lot of dishonourable political manoeuvres, remain tough, upright opponents of Orbán’s autocratic, dictatorial regime. This is Orbán’s biggest problem.
There is no doubt that Orbán and his loyal servant, prosecutor general Péter Polt want to put me into a prison cell. But they should have no doubt that instead of the accused I will become the accuser of the regime that ravaged Hungary’s republic and is keeping hundreds of thousands and millions of people in uncertainty. I will oppose and fight the system under which hundreds of thousands and millions do not dare to live freely, speak freely because an overbearing power is holding a feast in the villages, the towns and in the country. Every moment in court, we will accuse this regime, and will speak for those who say “it’s enough”.
Enough, because you have not received the temporary majority in order to destroy the country. You have not received the temporary majority to act against everything that the will for freedom has achieved over the last 20 years. That is what we shall represent and speak for.
I am certainly ready for this battle. And if I have to fight not on the political stage but in the courtroom, so be it. As to you, members of Parliament: in Hungary there was no show trial held in the last 50 years.
I do not think that any time, even for a moment, I should hide behind my immunity. I do not think so because I am convinced that at the end of the process I will be stronger, because I will see ever more clearly the nature of your immensely crooked power.
I do not ask you for protection. Why should I? Vote as your conscience dictates. I have no doubt that those who have at least a grain of honesty in them – I still believe that many of you have a lot more than that – one day, when you will have surpassed the ecstasy of power, when you will be past these sometimes uplifting, sometimes morally paralysing years, then you will feel ashamed. I will feel no pity for you. Not even disdain. It will be enough punishment that you will not be able to explain to yourselves or to your children, why you had taken part in this atrocity.
What I fight for is a world that is a better than the one that you are building. For Hungary, for the Republic.
Thank you very much.