“Ukraine is welcoming Hungarian humanitarian aid, and this is also having a positive effect on Hungarian-Ukrainian relations”, the Minister of State for Churches, Minorities and Civil Affairs said on M1 Hungarian television’s Monday morning current affairs program.

Miklós Soltész said that in recent years the Hungarian Government has provided a lot of assistance to its north-easterly neighbour, and charity programmes will be continuing this year.

Among these, Mr. Soltész mentioned that this year seven hundred Ukrainian children whose father has died or been wounded in the Ukrainian armed conflict will once again be invited to spend a week’s vacation at Lake Velence, in addition to which Hungary will this year once again be undertaking the medical rehabilitation of twenty Ukrainian military personnel.

The Minister of State also said the Government hoped aid would reach Ukraine less problematically than it has so far. According to the new system, Ukraine’s needs will be registered in advance and charity organisations will begin gathering donations according to the complete list.

200 tons of Hungarian aid was sent to Ukraine last year and the year before, and the total value of the aid sent so far is around a billion forints (EUR 3.2M), he added.

(Ministry of Human Capacities/MTI)