Hungarian PM in ‘Nazi’ term row

Date: 14/02/02

HUNGARIAN Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been accused

of breaching EU entry criteria by using a term synonymous with Nazi-era Germany.

MEP Graham Watson, leader of the European Parliament's Liberal group, has attacked Orban over reports he used the word lebensraum ('living space') in a debate about granting preferential treatment to ethnic Hungarians from neighbouring states.

That term was notoriously used by Adolf Hitler, when he talked about providing Germany with 'living space' in the east.

'This language is distasteful,' said Watson. 'The sentiments it betrays are incompatible with the Copenhagen criteria for entry into the EU.

'We will be extremely vigilant in judging a country whose top politicians act in this way.'

But a spokeswoman for Orban said he had actually used the Hungarian word eletter.

While this could be translated as lebensraum in German, it also corresponds to the English term 'room for manoeuvre', the spokeswoman added.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been accused of breaching EU entry criteria by using a term synonymous with Nazi-era Germany.