The Hungarian National Front (Hungarian: Magyar Nemzeti Arcvonal; MNA) was a far-right Hungarist paramilitary movement, founded in 1989 by István Győrkös as Hungarian National Socialist Action Group (Hungarian: Magyar Nemzetiszocialista Akciócsoport; also abbreviated MNA). The organization adopted its current name on 29 November 1992, after a court ruled to ban National Socialist name and symbols.[2]
Hungarian National Front Magyar Nemzeti Arcvonal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | István Győrkös |
| Deputy Leader | István Győrkös, Jr. |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Dissolved | December 2016[1] |
| Headquarters | Győr, Hungary |
| Newspaper | Új Rend Jövőnk Hídfő |
| Ideology | Neo-Hungarism Neo-fascism |
| Political position | Far-right |
Paramilitary activities in connection with Russian state agents
editIn 2016, Hungarian authorities became aware that GRU agents - enjoying diplomatic immunity - trained members of Hungarian National Front in mock combat as many as 5 times a year.[3][4]
Hungarian secret services were aware of the collaboration between the organization and the Russian state agents, but could not take action because the mock combat activities did not violate any laws. The events escalated when police obtained a search warrant under the suspicion that the leader of the organization, István Győrkös, was in possession of firearms illegally. When police attempted to execute the search warrant, István Győrkös shot and killed an officer.[3][4] Following the events, police executed 13 additional search warrants and indicted 17 individuals.[5]
Several members of the organization were later convicted because of illegal possession of a large quantity of weapons and ammunition and some explosives.[6] The GRU members involved in training with the group returned home after being informally asked to do so, without escalating a formal diplomatic incident between Russia and Hungary.[7]
The incident led to the dissolution of the organization.[2]
References
edit- ^ Szemán, László János (8 December 2017). "Felszámolták a szélsőséges hungarista szervezetet". Magyar Idők (in Hungarian). Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- ^ a b "Visszahúzódó, tisztelettudó, amúgy újnyilas" (in Hungarian). Heti Világgazdaság. 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
- ^ a b Szabolcs, Dezső András, Panyi (2016-10-27). "Orosz diplomaták gyakorlatoztak a rendőrgyilkos brigádjával". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2024-10-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Higgins, Andrew (24 December 2016). "Intent on Unsettling E.U., Russia Taps Foot Soldiers From the Fringe".
- ^ Barbara, Thüringer (2016-11-30). "Plasztikbomba és méreg is volt a jászberényi hungaristáknál". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2024-10-05.
- ^ News, Daily (2022-06-13). "Budapest court hands prison terms, fine to paramilitary group members - Daily News Hungary". dailynewshungary.com. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Panyi, Szabolcs; Szabó, András (2022-03-01). "Spies, business deals and criminals. How Orbán favors Russian interests instead of Western ones - Direkt36". Direkt36 - Direkt36 is a non-profit investigative journalism center with the mission to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. Retrieved 2024-10-05.