ATV's Friday show Szigorlat turned out to be quite surreal, in which the guest journalist was Szilárd Szalai and the interviewee was Krisztina Baranyi.

The member of the Pesti Srácok (PS) began by saying that the representatives of Ferencváros only learned from the media about the heating problems of the people living in the municipal social housing, and about the fact that the district cannot pay the increased utility bills. What is the reason for this, he asked.

"They lie and misrepresent without any inhibitions," Baranyi attacked the TV

Instead of giving a meaningful answer, the mayor said that he was put in an unpleasant situation, since he had vowed a long time ago that he would never speak to "propaganda media, junk paid propagandists", so he is not doing it now either. And he didn't know that Szalai would be here, otherwise he wouldn't have entered the studio. He continued by saying that he was amazed that "this television allows such people who have nothing to do with journalism, the profession,

they lie and cheat constantly, without any inhibitions.

After that, the two hosts tried to save the situation by interrupting each other. Emília Krug stated that this is perhaps the only television station that tries to find interviewers from all sides and host politicians. Krisztina Baranyi was not impressed by this, she said that it was "not a page, not a press, but a propaganda product". Róbert Kárász referred to editorial freedom and to the fact that they give voice to all social groups and political trends, and then remarked,

the mayor should not qualify, but answer the question.

Baranyi stated that he did not qualify anything, but he still maintains his opinion, which is proven by numerous court rulings, and then he stated again that he will not give any interviews to the Pesti Srácok, nor will he answer Szalai's questions. Despite this, the journalist tried again, asking why the mayor voted down the overhead protection fund submitted to the council.

Baranyi remained silent, Kárász repeated the question, and only then did the mayor begin to answer, but the presenter interrupted that he had never been in such a situation in his life.

"Me neither, and I feel really bad for them"

Baranyi responded, then Kárász stated,

this situation was created by Baranyi, who laughed awkwardly and said that he didn't think he created it, he was invited here.

There has never been such a situation before, but it won't happen again

After that, Emília Krug took the floor, she also referred to editorial freedom, but in the future they will indicate to the interviewee who will be their interviewer, and otherwise the viewer always decides what he considers to be journalism and what not, and whether to accept it. it's the politician's decision about who he gives an interview to and who he doesn't, he stated. After that, the matter of Fudan University in China and other topics were also discussed, but even there Szalai asked in vain, Baranyi only answered when Krug or Kárász repeated the question.

It was also a topic that Baranyi will speak at today's demonstration organized by Ákos Hadházy, where they are protesting against public television's program editing practices. Baranyi stated that he will speak for the reason that he also spoke about what Pesti Srácok is looking for on this TV. He said that the public media does not operate according to professional guidelines, is not independent, but has become a factory of lies for 130 billion forints a year, and then again called the PS a propaganda publication.

At the end of the program, Kárász stated that this had never happened in his career, and according to Krug, it will never happen, neither of them will be put in such a situation more than once. Baranyi put it this way, this is a serious situation, s

rather, he also undertakes not to be invited to this studio again,

but he had to say this, because in his opinion these people lie continuously and ruin other people's lives, and here he referred to Péter Juhász and Gábor Vona. Szalai announced that the politician had made many untrue statements about his paper, despite this, he was offering Baranyi a peace bond, but the mayor did not respond to the suggestion.

Featured image: MH/Róbert Hegedüs