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Ferenc Szaniszló

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Ferenc Szaniszló (born 7 October, 1960) is a Hungarian right-wing media figure and a broadcaster for Echo TV, a conservative television service in Hungary. In 2013 Szaniszló received Hungary's prestigious Táncsics award for journalism, but returned it following criticism over anti-Semitic and anti-Roma remarks made on Hungarian national television.

Early career

Szaniszló was born in Csenger in 1960, and grew up in Csegöld and Fehérgyarmat, both in east Hungary. He attended University in Moscow, and was subsequently stationed there as an employee of the Hungarian daily paper Magyar Hírlap.

Working for Budapest television, Szaniszló reported on the collapse of the Soviet Union, and on the conflict between Serb and Hungarian speaking populations in Yugoslavia. Later, Szaniszló covered the Kosovo war in Serbia, interviewing Albanian villagers and political leaders.

Returned Táncsics award

Roma minority in Hungary (census 2001), by localities

On 17 March 2013 the Hungarian Human Resources Minister Zoltán Balog awarded Szaniszló the Táncsics award, one of Hungary's highest state awards for journalism, named after Mihály Táncsics.

Szaniszló has previously referred to Hungary's persecuted Roma minority as "apes" and suggested that he regards Jews as "garbage". His receipt of the Táncsics award was immediately criticized by Hungarian and international media, by the Israeli ambassador Ilan Mor, and by U.S. ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis. A dozen former recipients of the Táncsics returned their awards in protest.

Balog, a minister of conservative premier Viktor Orbán's Fidesz-Civic Union government, also gave awards to archeologist Kornél Bakay and to János Petrás, a singer in the rock band Kárpátia. Bakay has maintained that Jesus was Hungarian and that the Jews were responsible for the slave trade during the Middle Ages; Petrás composed the anthem for the paramilitary wing of Hungary's radical nationalist Jobbik Party.

In response, and following a request by minister Balog, Szaniszló returned his award. He denied the charge of racism and stated that we was "a victim of machinations by Israel and the United States". Balog stated that Szaniszló's award primarily intended to acknowledge the media figure's previous work, and said that he only later learned of Szaniszló's racist remarks.

Hungary's Holy Cross Radio quoted the president of the Jobbik Party, Gábor Vona, who stated that Szaniszló had won a "moral victory."

References

  1. "Szaniszló kitüntetése legitimálja a gyűlöletkeltést" (in Hungarian). 14 March 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |site= ignored (help)("Awarding Szaniszló legitimizes incitement of hatred")
  2. Szaniszlo, Ferenc (20 February 1989). "Yeltsin on restructuring and Soviet leaders". BBC. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  3. "Other reports on Croatia: Hungarian-populated village in Slavonia fighting Chetniks receives ultimatum". BBC. 11 July 1991. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  4. "Yugoslavia: Albanian leaders on negotiation positions, arms, tactics". BBC. 11 September 1998. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  5. "Hungarian government awards prize to far-right journalist". Euronews. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  6. Hershfeld, Rachel (21 March 2013). "Racist Hungarian Journalist Returns State Prize". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  7. ^ Thorpe, Nick (18 March 2013). "Anger in Hungary at prize for 'anti-Semitic' reporter". BBC. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  8. ^ Paterson, Tony (17 March 2012). "Hungarian government awards Tancsics prize for journalism to notorious anti-Semite Ferenc Szaniszlo". The Independent. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  9. ^ "Hungarian journalist to return state honor, denies anti-semitism". Haaretz. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  10. ^ Salzmann, Marcus (24 March 2013). "Hungary: National award for notorious Anti-Semite". World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  11. ^ Dunai, Martin (21 March 2013). "Hungary asks reporter to return award over anti-Semitism row". Reuters. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  12. Thedrel, Arielle (18 March 2013). "Hongrie : Viktor Orban met l'extrême droite à l'honneur". Le Figaro. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  13. Ozsvath, Stephan (21 March 2013). "Antisemitischer TV-Moderator gibt Staatspreis zurück". Tagesschau. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  14. "Ungarns Regierung vergibt Orden an Antisemiten". Zeit Online. 17 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  15. "Szaniszlo Ferenc returns the honor". Holy Cross Radio. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
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