“Hungarian interests must be protected, and action must be taken with respect to unfair attacks against Hungary, even if they are made abroad by another Hungarian citizen”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Deputy State Secretary for Communication and Parliamentary Relations, Tamás Menczer said in a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI on Sunday.

The Deputy State Secretary issued the statement in response to news reports that a Hungarian diplomat had appeared at a lecture by Bálint Magyar in California, and had attempted to discredit the former SZDSZ minister by making comments from the audience.

Mr. Menczer said that Bálint Magyar had been telling lies about Hungary and about the Hungarian Government in the United States, and the colleague from the Consulate General in Los Angeles, a Hungarian diplomat, had done the right thing by protesting against these lies and defending Hungary.

“The tasks of Hungarian diplomats include taking action and protecting Hungary and Hungarian interests against such attacks. This is one of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó’s most determined expectations and orders with respect to Hungarian diplomats”, The Deputy State Secretary stressed.

(MTI)