“The Prime Minister’s Office is open to debating all topics recommended for discussion at the upcoming session of the Jewish Community Roundtable”, Deputy State Secretary for Priority Social Affairs Csaba Latorcai said on Wednesday.

The Deputy State Secretary confirmed that the meeting, which will not be public, will be held in the Parliament building at 10am on 9 September and noted that in mid-August János Lázár had requested that the Jewish Community Roundtable be convened in September. At the time, the Minister in Charge of the Prime Minister’s Office recommended four main topics of discussion that he felt should under all circumstances be included on the agenda, including improving the social situation of Holocaust survivors, the presentation of the Holocaust in public education, monitoring anti-Semitism and the restoration of Jewish cemeteries as sites of tribute and heritage.

When he initiated the convening of the Roundtable, the Minister also asked President András Heisler of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary (Mazsihisz) to formulate further recommendations at his discretion, Mr. Latorcai pointed out, declaring that the Prime Minister’s Office is open to the discussion of any and all issues that are a determining factor in Jewish life in Hungary according to the country’s Jewish communities.

Accordingly, the topics recommended for discussion by Jewish organisations, such as the future of the “House of Fates” project aimed at commemorating child victims of the Holocaust, the further development of cooperation between Jewish organisations and the Government on education, funding for Jewish non-governmental organisations and the issue of progressive Jewish churches, will also be open to debate at next Tuesday’s meeting, the Deputy State Secretary said.

However, he also noted that as far as he is aware agreements have been reached concerning several of the above-mentioned issues, including on education cooperation and the “House of Fates” project, with regard to which it has been agreed that the opinions of international Holocaust experts will be taken into account.

In reply to a question regarding the fact that Jewish organisations are asking the Government to convene the Jewish Community Roundtable regularly, Mr. Latorcai said “they are knocking on open doors”.

(Prime Minister's Office)