The Hungarian Government made efforts to change the church law, but the opposition did not consent to the passage of the two-third legislation, Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács told the Hungarian news agency MTI in response to the religious freedom report of the US Department of State.

At the same time, the Government Spokesperson described the finding that there is religious freedom in Hungary as one of the most important elements of the report, and in his view „this is what no one can deny”.

He added that some of the findings of the document testify to the „unbridgeable difference” which exists between the US Department of State and the Government of Hungary regarding the issue of migration.

In Mr Kovács’s view, the United States has a vested interest in the arrival in Europe of as many immigrants as possible, while the Hungarian Government would like to stop illegal migration and would also like the European Union to revise its policy related to the issue.

The annual report of the US Department of State released on Wednesday, Washington local time, claims, inter alia, that the Hungarian Fundamental Law provides for freedom of religion, including freedom to change religion or belief and freedom to manifest religion or belief through religious acts or ceremonies, voices respect for all religious traditions existing in the country, and separates church and state. It also states that the previous deregistration of more than 350 incorporated churches remained in effect despite Constitutional Court rulings during the year that certain provisions of the religion law were unconstitutional or in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights, and a 2014 ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) declaring the underlying law violated the right to freedom of association read in light of the freedom of religion

The report further remarks that there were reports of anti-Muslim sentiment in Hungary as the migrant crisis in Europe intensified. The Muslim community reported physical and verbal attacks and threats, the report reads.

(MTI)