Gyurcsány suspected behind Őszöd leak saga
May 28th, 2013A right-wing commentator contends that renewed speculation about who leaked former PM Gyurcsány’s 2006 “lie-speech,” is actually part of Mr Gyurcsány’s strategy to blackmail the left-wing opposition and thereby secure himself a place in a future anti-Orbán coalition.
In a front-page story on Saturday, Magyar Nemzet wrote that PM Gyurcsány’s “lie speech” was not leaked by the MSZP leadership, as a former Socialist insider claimed last week (see BudaPost May 25). According to the pro-government daily, the tapes of the discussion between former counter-espionage chief Sándor Laborc and Tamás Portik, a well-known Mafioso (see BudaPost April 25) hint that the Őszöd speech leak was ordered by György Szilvásy, who served as cabinet minister in charge of the secret services under Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány. On Monday, Magyar Hírlap reported that according to an unnamed “leading Socialist politician”, by reviving the speculation and accusing his former party members for the leak, Gyurcsány wants to weaken the MSZP. According to another anonymous source quoted by the right-wing daily, Gyurcsány has brokered a secret deal with Bajnai, under which Bajnai’s Together-2014 will insist on inviting Gyurcsány’s party into the anti-Orbán electoral coalition in return for Gyurcsány’s efforts to weaken the MSZP.
Mr Gyurcsány still does not seem to understand that people are fed up with him and bored of the whole Őszöd leak debate, Tamás Pilhál writes in Magyar Nemzet (print edition). The right-wing columnist remarks that Gyurcsány has claimed ever since 2006 that his “lie speech” was actually a “truth speech” in which the former Socialist PM advocated a new modernization program, against fierce resistance even from his own party. By keeping speculation about the leak on the agenda, Pihál believes, Gyurcsány hopes to restore his shattered public image, and present himself as the victim of the story, “stabbed in the back” by the MSZP for his visions to move the country forward despite the vested interests of the Socialists. In conclusion, the pro-government pundit adds that he is keeping his fingers crossed for Gyurcsány, for his involvement would significantly weaken the chances of the left-wing anti-Orbán coalition at the 2014 election.