Christian Keszthelyi

A Hungarian association and foundation have filed a lawsuit against Dutch multinational brewer Heineken at the Budapest-Capital Regional Court for using the red star in its logo, according to a press statement sent to the Budapest Business Journal today.The Association of Former Hungarian Political Prisoners and Forced Laborers in the Soviet Union (Szorakész) and the Freedom Protecting Foundation (SZAVA) are convinced that “the red star is a banned totalitarian symbol,” for whatever reason it may be used,  and “insults the memory of the victims of the communist dictatorship, and is not worthy of the Hungarian nation,” the press statement reads.

The two organizations claim that the “behavior” of Heineken of carrying a five-pointed red star as a chief element of its brand logo violates the Civil Code, which states that human dignity and related individual rights should be respected by everyone.

“Heineken’s use of the dictatorship’s symbol therefore means continuous violation of the law for members of the Hungarian nation who suffered in the totalitarian regime [of communism],” the press statement says. “Zero tolerance for the red star!” – the organizations proclaim.

Hungarian lawmakers of the governing Fidesz-KDNP coalition earlier submitted a bill to Parliament that would ban the use of what it calls “totalitarian symbols” for commercial purposes. While some reports suggested the governing party would back out from the bill, Cabinet Chief János Lázár, one of its drafters, made comments that suggested the bill is particularly aimed at Heineken. This suggestion is supported by Fidesz MP Lajos Kósa hinting later that while the stars Converse shoes and San Pellegrino mineral water use for branding are okay, the red star that Heineken beer uses is not.

The background to the controversy lies in a diplomatic row that has unfolded in recent months between Heineken and Lázár over the naming of a beer produced by a small ethnic Hungarian-owned brewery in the Transylvania region of Romania. A Romanian court banned the use of the name Csíki Sör for the local beer when Heineken brought the matter to court after it bought a competitor with a similar name, Ciuc beer. Csíki Sör was renamed Tiltott Igazi Sör (which translates as Banned Genuine Beer), though it still sports the original name in runic writing. Ever since, many Hungarian politicians, including Lázár and far-right Jobbik MPs, have called for a boycott of Heineken products in Hungary.

The website of the Heineken Collection Foundation, which details the history of the brand, notes that the red star first appeared on Heineken labels in the 1930s. “After the Second World War, in 1951, in many countries the red star – being associated with communism – changed from red to white with only a small red border. Over the years the red border of the star of all export labels gradually became more prominent, until 1991, when it became completely red again,” says the website. A quarter of a century has thus passed in Hungary when it appears no one noticed – or conspicuously cared about – the red star on the label.

The Romanian unit of Dutch brewing giant Heineken and Lixid Project, owner of Csíki Sör Manufaktúra, the Transylvanian microbrewery that produces Csíki beer, said on Monday they intend to settle their ongoing dispute over the use of the Csíki and Ciuc beer brands, just days after Hungarian government representatives interceded on behalf of the craft brewery.

Mon, Mar. 27, 2017, 17:13

Hungary’s Cabinet Chief János Lázár has warned Heineken not to squeeze Transylvanian craft beer Csíki out of the market, suggesting that the Hungarian government is ready to take steps to prevent this, according to a report by state news agency MTI.

 Fri, Mar. 24, 2017, 17:23

Hungarian musician Gábor Presser and U.S. rapper Kanye West have settled a copyright lawsuit, reaching agreement out of court over Kanye’s “New Slaves” song issued in 2013, which sampled Hungarian rock band Omega’s 1969 hit “Gyöngyhajú lány” (Pearls in Her Hair) without permission, according to online news portal pagesix.com.

 Fri, Mar. 24, 2017, 16:23

The stars Converse shoes and San Pellegrino mineral water use for branding are okay, however the one that Heineken beer uses is not, governing Fidesz MP Lajos Kósa appears to suggest in a report carried by state news agency MTI, commenting on the government’s planned ban of “totalitarian symbols” (such as the red star) used for commercial purposes.

 Wed, Mar. 22, 2017, 11:33

The Hungarian government is allegedly backing out of a draft bill that would ban the use of what it calls “totalitarian symbols” for commercial purposes, thought to have been aimed at Dutch brewing company Heineken, Hungarian online news portal hvg.hu reported. However, bill drafters Zsolt Semjén and János Lázár have denied the report.

 Tue, Mar. 21, 2017, 12:04

Hungarian lawmakers of the governing Fidesz-KDNP submitted a bill to Parliament that would ban the use of what it calls “totalitarian symbols” for commercial purposes, according to reports. Local media has speculated this could hit Heineken, which uses a red star symbol, although the firm declines to comment for now.

 Tue, Mar. 14, 2017, 11:26

Hungary’s Government Debt Management Agency (ÁKK) plans net forint security issues of HUF 99 billion in March-May, with net bond issues and net redemptions of discount T-bills, according to the three-month issue plan on the ÁKK’s website.

 Mon, Feb. 20, 2017, 08:58

Hungaryʼs Government Debt Management Agency (ÁKK) plans net forint securities issues of HUF 74 billion in the February-April period, with moderate net bond issues and even lower net redemption of discount T-bills, according to the three-month issue plan on the ÁKKʼs website.

 Fri, Jan. 20, 2017, 08:39

Japanese brewer Asahi Group Holdings has agreed to purchase five East European beer brands of Anheuser-Busch InBev, among them the Hungarian brand Dreher – Hungarian news agency MTI reported Tuesday, based on a report in Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei.

Wed, Dec. 14, 2016, 15:58

The Association for Women’s Career Development in Hungary (AWCDH) acknowledged the best workplaces for female workers in the country at the “Best Workplace for Women 2015” awards, organized this November, according to a press statement sent to the Budapest Business Journal.

[CAReview: To read the full article, please visit the source link below.]