VZCZCXRO5114
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHUP #0289 1000958
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100958Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4083
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BUDAPEST 000289 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR DRL/AE DAN NADEL, EUR/CE JAMIE LAMORE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM HU
SUBJECT: BLOOD, SWEAT, BUT NO TEARS: EMBASSY BUDAPEST 
COMMEMORATES INTERNATIONAL ROMA DAY 
 
REF: STATE 20359 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Embassy Budapest rolled-up its sleeves and 
came out in force in support of the 2009 International Roma 
Day (IRD).  Officers and local staff participated in three 
events around Hungary to mark the occasion and pay tribute to 
the important contributions of the Hungarian Roma community. 
Simultaneously, public debate continued on the Civil Rights 
Ombudsman's inflammatory remarks about "gypsy crime" (para 
7). End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Eleven American and Hungarian Embassy employees, 
including ChargQ Levine, participated in a blood drive 
sponsored by the Budapest Gypsy Self-Gvernment and the 
Hungarian Red Cross.  The event aimed to promote cooperation, 
social responsibility, and helping others.  Details of the 
event were featured in both print and television media.  The 
Embassy officials were joined by several local dignitaries 
and celebrities, including the National Chief of Police, 
politicians, and television stars. 
 
¶3. (U) In a separate high-profile event on the following day, 
the National Chief of Police publicly thanked the Embassy for 
its overwhelming turnout at the blood drive and its strong 
support for the Roma community, graciously exaggerating that 
"everyone in the Embassy gave blood." 
 
¶4. (U) At a separate event, the Cultural Affairs Officer 
(CAO) and local PA staff marked the occasion by visiting the 
small, predominantly Roma, village of Batoyterenye in 
northern Hungary.  There they visited with teachers and 
students at a local after-school program for disadvantaged 
Roma youth where they joined the school's IRD celebrations. 
The CAO learned Roma songs and dances from the teachers and 
students in celebration of Roma culture.  Following the 
program, the CAO met with the teachers to discuss the 
challenges facing Roma in the village and nationwide.  The 
program was covered by the national media service, MTI. 
 
¶5. (U) On April 9, the Embassy Legal AttachQ (LEGATT) and 
other EmbOffs participated in an IRD event hosted by the 
Hungarian National Police and the Fraternal Association of 
European Roma Law Enforcement Officers.  The event combined a 
photo exhibition featuring images of Roma families with a 
ceremony to highlight the importance of diversity in law 
enforcement.  LEGATT delivered remarks on the FBI's 
experience with diversity and the lessons it has learned 
about how different racial and cultural backgrounds among its 
staff enables it to more effectively serve and protect a 
diverse society.  Approximately 100 people attended the event 
including law enforcement officials, members of the Roma 
community, government representatives, and the media. 
 
¶6. (U) Brief articles and corresponding photos of our IRD 
activities are available on the Embassy's website.  A link to 
the Secretary's video message is also prominently featured on 
the home page. 
 
¶7. (U) The Embassy's IRD activities and other events around 
Hungary marking the occasion came in the wake of 
controversial public comments made by Parliament's Civil 
Rights Ombudsman Mate Szabo.  In an interview with an online 
news agency on April 2, Szabo said he could see the "profile 
of a Gypsy crime" and described Roma as "an almost tribal 
group as opposed to the highly individual natureof Hungarian 
society."  Szabo continued, saying, "When we see this 
profile, we must warn the people and we must give it a name." 
 Szabo's comments were summarily rebuked by several prominent 
government officials and NGO representatives, many of whom 
have called for his resignation.  On April 3, Szabo publicly 
withdrew his comments and said it was not his intention to 
offend anyone.  President Solyom summoned Szabo to his office 
on April 8 to express his displeasure with Szabo's comments, 
saying that his remarks may undermine the public's confidence 
in his ability to serve.  If Szabo does not resign, it would 
take a two-thirds majority of MPs in Parliament to remove him 
from office. 
 
¶8. (U) The Embassy's IRD activities were part of a broader 
public outreach effort to support the Roma community.  Recent 
events have included an extensive school outreach campaign 
reaching over 1,200 students to promote tolerance, a 
tolerance YouTube video competition, presentations by 
Embassy-sponsored civil rights lecturers, a ceremony to honor 
the Embassy's International Women of Courage Award nominee of 
Roma origin, and the donation of over 50 pieces of office 
furnishings and equipment to a Budapest Roma media 
organization. 
 
Levine