The Hungarian Leftist Opposition’s Stance on Student, Researcher, and Professor Rights
Fidesz Politicians Call on Budapest Mayor to Take Stance on EU Funding for Higher Education and Research
Fidesz politicians have recently called on Tamás Soproni, the mayor of Budapest’s 6th district, to openly back or reject his Momentum party’s stance on European Union funding for higher education and research programmes.
MEP Tamás Deutsch and Balázs Norbert Kovács, who heads Fidesz’s 6th district division, addressed an open letter to Soproni on Sunday, urging him to take a clear stance on the issue. They expressed their concern over the recent decision by the leftist majority of the European Parliament to exclude Hungarian students, researchers, and professors from EU higher education and research development programmes.
The Fidesz politicians criticized the Momentum party’s MEPs, Anna Donáth and Katalin Cseh, for their role in upholding what they deemed as an “unlawful infringement” on the rights of Hungarian individuals in the higher education and research sectors.
Soproni, as the only Momentum member serving as a mayor and a member of the party board, was called upon to clarify whether he supports or rejects the “shameful and gravely discriminative stance” taken by the MEPs. Additionally, Deutsch and Kovács urged Soproni to refrain from echoing “dollar left mantras” on concerns about the rule of law and to recognize the potential unlawfulness of excluding Hungarian students, professors, and researchers from EU programmes.
The open letter emphasizes the importance of Soproni taking a clear stance on this crucial issue that directly affects the educational and research opportunities available to Hungarian citizens.
Furthermore, this call for action highlights the ongoing debate surrounding EU funding and Hungary’s participation in pan-European programmes such as Erasmus+ and Horizon. The significance of this issue has drawn attention not only from within Hungary but also from international actors and stakeholders interested in the country’s role in European education and research initiatives.
As the pressure mounts for a response from Soproni, the implications of his decision will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects on the future of Hungarian participation in EU higher education and research programmes. It remains to be seen how the mayor will address this pressing issue and whether his stance will align with the interests of the Momentum party or diverge in a different direction.
