BUDAPEST, Hungary, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Hungary’s Cabinet condemned the forming of a rightist paramilitary organization and told the citizens it would protect them from spreading hate and neo-Nazism.

The Hungarian government said setting up the paramilitary organization, which was formally registered as the Hungarian Guard, a private association for safeguarding the national tradition and culture, was morally and politically unacceptable, the Serbian news agency Tanjug reported Thursday.

Support for such an organization of private citizens is contrary to the principles of the Hungarian republic and norms of the European Union of which Hungary has been a member since 2004, a government statement said Wednesday.

Tibor Navracsics, parliamentary group leader of the main opposition rightist Fidesz party, told reporters in Budapest Thursday the government’s reaction to the Hungarian Guard was hysterical, the Hungarian news agency MTI said.

Hungary’s far right nationalist Party for Better Hungary, which has no links with the government, formed the Hungarian Guard Saturday in Budapest.

Hungarian leftist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said his government was seriously concerned about apparent neo-Nazi activities of the Guard, MTI said.