Deputy Minister of Human Capacities Bence Rétvári spoke about the fact that instead of being resettled in Europe, people in need are awaiting assistance from Europe at home, on Hungarian M1 television’s Thursday morning current affairs program.

The Deputy Minister recalled that last week in Budapest some 300 representatives from thirty countries took part in an international conference on the persecution of Christians. As he explained, the participants welcomed the event in view of the fact that no government has so far organised a conference on the persecution of Christians despite the fact that Christians represent the largest persecuted group in the world today. “They also expressed their appreciating of the fact that Hungary is not just talking about this, but is also taking action, and providing assistance in the Middle East with a host of funding and other programmes”, he added.

Mr. Rétvári also said that none of the Church leaders who gave speeches at the conference asked that impoverished people be resettled in Europe. “On the contrary, they are awaiting assistance from Europe that will enable them to start their lives anew at home in the Middle East”, he added.

Speaking on Kossuth Radio’s “180 minutes” program, the Deputy Minister said that while quotas are not working in Europe, assistance provided locally does work. He drew attention to the fact that Brussels has launched legal proceedings against Hungary because of some 1200 people, and in the meantime the Hungarian Government and Hungarian people and aid organisations are helping people on site. “Amongst others, the Hungarian Government has helped to provide accommodation for around a thousand families in Lebanon and Iraq”, the Deputy Minister highlighted.

(MTI)