At a commemorative event in the town of Mohács on Sunday, Miklós Soltész, Minister of State for Churches, National Minorities and Civil Relations, said that the 490th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács not only requires us to remember it, but also calls on us to act.
At the Battle of Mohács (29 August 1526) the troops of the Ottoman Empire defeated the troops of the Kingdom of Hungary, leading to the partition of Hungary for several centuries between the Ottoman Empire, the Habsburg Monarchy and the Principality of Transylvania. Mr. Soltész said that 490 years ago 15,000 Hungarians lost their lives and the city of Buda was overrun by Ottoman troops in September 1526 because of the selfishness, short-sightedness, treachery and “inability to act of the [then] European leaders”.
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Referring also to the fall of Constantinople, an earlier turning-point in Ottoman expansion, Mr. Soltész said that one half of Europe did not heed the cries for help of the other half. He also mentioned the betrayal of King Francis I of France, committed in order to restore and expand his rule.
“Are we not living through similar times today?” Mr. Soltész asked, in reference to the current migration crisis.
He added that the present “bleak times” are a result of the economic aspirations and “export of democracy” of the Western powers, and the current migration waves are simply a dire consequence of this.
He said that “if we respect the fallen [...] and if their death in the service of their country is important to us, we must not only remember, but also act.”
He said that while Hungarians respect others’ cultures and religious aspirations, “we must buttress our Christianity”, and Central and Eastern European nations must stand together.
He said that Hungary has every right to expect that its borders be respected and to act in their defence, should the need arise.
Mr. Soltész said that sick and destitute migrants deserve solidarity, but “our solidarity cannot extend to those who break down our doors instead of knocking on them, to those who threaten our nations and disregard our laws and beliefs.”
“We cannot allow them to alter our way of life and replace the values of the Old and New Testament with alien ideologies.”
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As part of the commemoration, the preserved right hand of King Saint Stephen of Hungary – the national relic known as the Holy Dexter – was placed on display in Mohács. An open-air Mass was also celebrated by Cardinal Péter Erdő and Diocesan Bishop György Udvardy.
(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)
