Szabad Kapacitás, 1990 (2. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

1990 / 2. szám

Declaration of principles of the Independent

Hungarian Initiative

The Independent Hungarian Initiative is a civic movement organizing itself from the ground up, independent of the organs of power. It desires to pursue the

policy of all those political and social groups which have stood for independent, autonomous thought and action against the autocracy of power during the last

decades. The Independent Hungarian Initiative identifies itself with the ideas and democratic and liberal traditions of the European and Czechoslovak civil rights

movements,with any endeavours that call for the moral renewal of Central Europe, and with all those forces which are doing their utmost to integrate Czechoslovakia

into Europe.

The Independent Hungarian Initiative looks upon the Committee to Defend the Rights of the Hungarian Minority in Czechoslovakia as its predecessor, one

that has been the only independent initiative safeguarding the Hungarian minority’s interests these last two decades. The Independent Hungarian Initiative declares,

at the same time, that it does not wish to take the place of the Committee because it believes that this form of protection of individual and collective rights may

also be needed in the future.

The Independent, Hungarian Initiative disclaims every totalitarian ideology.

It denies that the idea of collectivity and equality has the authority to restrict individual liberty in any way.

The Independent Hungarian Initiative believes in modem individualism and liberal humanism. It presses for the development of manifold and autonomous

forms of associations and societies whose members will assume responsibility and elect officers voluntarily, and which will not only express their interests and

wishes, but will also guarantee their own defence against all sorts of manipulation.

The Independent Hungarian Initiative rejects both nationalist and Stalinist collectivist ideologies.

Freedom, tolerance and solidarity are the supreme values for the Independent Hungarian Initiative.

The aims of the Independent Hungarian Initiative are to:-safeguard the sovereignty of the state-establish parliamentary democracy within a multi-party system-share the power trichotomously (legislation, execution and judiciary)-restrain the state’s power enacting civil rights laws-enforce the authority of the majority and, at the same time, defend minorities‘s rights-guarantee social self-organization adn self-government for local, regional, minority, labour and religious groups, communities and movements-recognize the coequality of all forms of property-create a market economy and free enterprise-guarantee social security-guarantee the right to a healthy environment-put an end to ideological subjection of culture and science

Since one of the essential aims of the Independent Hungarian Initiative is to ease the problem of national minorities, it is necessary to lay down

the following principles:-The conviction of the Independent Hungarian Initiative is that only democracy can solve the problems of national minorities, a democracy in which all national, •

political, religious and other minorities can safeguard their interests in the atmosphere of mutual tolerance.-Let it be distincly understood that the citizens of the Czech and Slovak republics, independently of their national status, have a share in state-creating. No one

can be deprived of his Czechoslovak citizenship.-Collective rights lie with the nations and national minorities.National status is a human rigt. That is why collective rights lie with all members of nations and

natonai minorities.-It is vital to set up a minority defence system so taht their rights can be guaranteed.

Recently we have witnessed the enormous moral revival of the civel society.Hundreds of manifestos, speeches and proclamations have urged Czechoslovakia

to catch up with democratic transformations taking place in Central Europe. Under social pressure the Communist party and power organs of state were forced to

retreat. What has been called into life, however, is merely a chance to change the regime. The future faces the task of creating conditions in which the civil society

will succeed in producing the constitutional state.

The preconditions of this are:-end of the party monopoly, limitation and control of power centres-a new press law which would guarantee an independent press and information-a new, democratic law of assembly-a new, demoratic law of voting

•freedom of movement and travel, the right to settle down freely-respect for freedom of conscience and thought.

In the spirit of its principles the Independent Hungarian Initiative wishes to co-operate with every democratic-minded person and all domestic and foreign

organizations and movements which identify themselves with the basic principles of democracy.