This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/21/world/europe/us-denial-of-visas-for-6-in-hungary-strains-ties.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| U.S. Denial of Visas for 6 in Hungary Strains Ties | U.S. Denial of Visas for 6 in Hungary Strains Ties |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BUDAPEST — A move by the United States government to declare six unnamed Hungarian public officials suspected of corruption ineligible for visas has blown up into a diplomatic incident that has transfixed Hungarian political circles and provided fresh evidence of growing tension between the two nations. | |
| American diplomats, who have been monitoring public corruption in Hungary for more than a decade, detected “a deterioration of the situation, an overall downward trend,” according to M. Andre Goodfriend, deputy chief of mission at the American Embassy here. | American diplomats, who have been monitoring public corruption in Hungary for more than a decade, detected “a deterioration of the situation, an overall downward trend,” according to M. Andre Goodfriend, deputy chief of mission at the American Embassy here. |
| “The situation, if it continues in this way, it will be impossible to work together as allies,” said Mr. Goodfriend, who has been running the embassy in the absence of a permanent ambassador. “That is what we want to avoid.” | “The situation, if it continues in this way, it will be impossible to work together as allies,” said Mr. Goodfriend, who has been running the embassy in the absence of a permanent ambassador. “That is what we want to avoid.” |
| Indeed, there has long been friction between Washington and the conservative government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Mr. Orban’s election victories have cemented his position as Hungary’s undisputed boss, and his steps to centralize power, stymie opponents, and alter laws in ways that benefit his party and his allies have led to fears of creeping authoritarianism. | Indeed, there has long been friction between Washington and the conservative government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Mr. Orban’s election victories have cemented his position as Hungary’s undisputed boss, and his steps to centralize power, stymie opponents, and alter laws in ways that benefit his party and his allies have led to fears of creeping authoritarianism. |
| The latest diplomatic fracas broke open late last week when a pro-government news site in Budapest posted an article saying that Hungary was investigating some American companies and that the United States, in response, had taken several Hungarians off its approved visa list. That occurred after some companies reported to the American Embassy that they had been solicited for bribes. | The latest diplomatic fracas broke open late last week when a pro-government news site in Budapest posted an article saying that Hungary was investigating some American companies and that the United States, in response, had taken several Hungarians off its approved visa list. That occurred after some companies reported to the American Embassy that they had been solicited for bribes. |
| The embassy, which said it had told Hungarian officials “as a courtesy” of the excisions from the list and had not intended to make them public, was caught by surprise. It issued a statement Friday saying that it knew of no investigations against American companies but that, indeed, it had declared some Hungarians ineligible to enter the United States “as the result of credible information that those individuals are either engaging in or benefiting from corruption.” | The embassy, which said it had told Hungarian officials “as a courtesy” of the excisions from the list and had not intended to make them public, was caught by surprise. It issued a statement Friday saying that it knew of no investigations against American companies but that, indeed, it had declared some Hungarians ineligible to enter the United States “as the result of credible information that those individuals are either engaging in or benefiting from corruption.” |
| By the weekend, speculation mounted over which Hungarian officials had been dropped from the list — the embassy refused to disclose their names, saying it never does so in such visa cases — and which American companies said they had been solicited. | By the weekend, speculation mounted over which Hungarian officials had been dropped from the list — the embassy refused to disclose their names, saying it never does so in such visa cases — and which American companies said they had been solicited. |
| The Hungarian government has demanded that Washington turn over any evidence of corruption. “This issue, in the coming weeks or months, could poison, ruin the Hungarian-American friendship,” said Janos Lazar, Mr. Orban’s chief of staff. | The Hungarian government has demanded that Washington turn over any evidence of corruption. “This issue, in the coming weeks or months, could poison, ruin the Hungarian-American friendship,” said Janos Lazar, Mr. Orban’s chief of staff. |
| Mr. Goodfriend declined to turn over any evidence, but said an open discussion about public corruption in Hungary was much needed. | Mr. Goodfriend declined to turn over any evidence, but said an open discussion about public corruption in Hungary was much needed. |
| American officials insisted it was only a coincidence that the visa episode erupted just before a meeting in Washington on Tuesday between Victoria Nuland, the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Peter Szijjarto, Hungary’s foreign minister. That meeting is to take place on the same day the European Parliament plans to hold hearings in Strasbourg, France, on the political situation in Budapest. | American officials insisted it was only a coincidence that the visa episode erupted just before a meeting in Washington on Tuesday between Victoria Nuland, the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Peter Szijjarto, Hungary’s foreign minister. That meeting is to take place on the same day the European Parliament plans to hold hearings in Strasbourg, France, on the political situation in Budapest. |
| It also comes less than a month after President Obama, in a speech before the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, pointedly included Hungary among a list of countries where repressive governments silence dissent and “increasingly target civil society.” By Monday, some officials in the Orban government seemed eager to move beyond the scandal. “We are not trying to sweep this under the rug,” Mr. Lazar said. | It also comes less than a month after President Obama, in a speech before the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, pointedly included Hungary among a list of countries where repressive governments silence dissent and “increasingly target civil society.” By Monday, some officials in the Orban government seemed eager to move beyond the scandal. “We are not trying to sweep this under the rug,” Mr. Lazar said. |
| Orban critics and watchdog groups were pleased to hear a harsher tone from Washington. | |
| Balint Magyar, a former education minister and strong critic of what he calls Hungary’s “post-Communist Mafia state,” said Mr. Orban and his associates appeared to have ignored signals from Washington that it would no longer keep silent about Hungary’s governance. | Balint Magyar, a former education minister and strong critic of what he calls Hungary’s “post-Communist Mafia state,” said Mr. Orban and his associates appeared to have ignored signals from Washington that it would no longer keep silent about Hungary’s governance. |
| “I think they thought they could bluff their way out,” Mr. Magyar said. “And now, they have lost already.” | “I think they thought they could bluff their way out,” Mr. Magyar said. “And now, they have lost already.” |