The Jewish Heritage in Hungary Public Endowment could publish the call for proposals regarding the refurbishment of Jewish cemeteries – for the purposes of which the Government allocated half a billion forints at the end of last year – before this spring, the Deputy State Secretary for Social and Heritage Affairs and Priority Cultural Projects said on Tuesday, after the meeting of the Jewish Community Roundtable.

Csaba Latorczai and András Heisler, President of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz) spoke to journalists after a meeting held in the Parliament Building which lasted more than two hours. The meeting was not open to the press. The Deputy State Secretary stressed that a few years ago the Government decided on the refurbishment of abandoned Jewish cemeteries, and the Cabinet looks upon these cemeteries as an integral part of Hungary’s cultural heritage.

He added that at the end of 2017 the Government therefore allocated almost half a billion forints for the Jewish Heritage in Hungary Public Endowment in the interest of launching this programme. He highlighted that at the roundtable meeting they discussed the draft of the grant agreement and the call for proposals, and while at this point in time there are still some disagreements among Jewish organisations, it is to be hoped that the pubic endowment will be able to publish its call for proposals before this spring. Religious organisations maintaining cemeteries and local governments may submit requests for grants.

András Heisler, President of Mazsihisz stressed it is important that as part of the programme memorial sites should be created as the cemeteries in question are closed burial sites which no longer function as cemeteries and which “regrettably no longer have owners; the owners remained in Auschwitz”. He added that to this end they would like to make some changes to the Public Endowment’s call for proposals.

Mr Latorczai told the press that at the meeting they also spoke about the preparations for the commemorations to be held in 2019 in honour of the 75th anniversary of the Holocaust. In this context, the Government made it clear at the meeting that it is open to the initiatives of Jewish organisations, and if possible, they expect a coordinated proposal from members of the roundtable which they are prepared to financially support with a substantial grant.

The Deputy State Secretary also said that at the meeting László Palkovics, Minister of State at the Ministry of Human Capacities, Co-Chair of the Hungarian-Israeli intergovernmental mixed committee on economic cooperation rendered an account of Hungarian-Israeli economic relations. Mr Latorczai highlighted that, in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Budapest last summer, economic relations between the two countries are developing “incredibly dynamically”; representatives of the Hungarian and Israeli Governments have identified more than 30 specific project plans, including in the areas of software development, security, vehicle developments, laser and particle physics, brain research, biotechnology and food industry. Mr Heisler indicated in this context that several proposals were made by members of the Jewish community at the meeting highlighting that religious tourism and the development of tourism could be one area of boosting relations between Hungary and Israel.

Mr Latorczai also said reform Jewish communities suggested at the meeting that they should be given church status. The Government told them that this requires the amendment of a cardinal law, and under the present parliamentary circumstances the Government does not have a two-thirds majority. According to the Deputy State Secretary, a proposal was also made at the meeting to the effect that the Hungarian Government should take into consideration the initiative of the Israeli people concerning Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In this context, representatives of the Government highlighted that Hungary is one of Israel’s best friends in international organisations, has proved its “pro-Israeli stance” on a number of occasions, and it will naturally continue to remain open to initiatives.

The Deputy State Secretary and the President of Mazsihisz were also asked about the status of the House of Fates. Mr Latorczai said this was not on the agenda of the meeting now held and was not discussed, but the Government continues to maintain its position that the House of Fates can only open when a consensus is reached regarding its professional, museum and training content. Mr Latorczai added that there are a number of open issues, and he is therefore not expecting to see a consensus being reached in the next few weeks or months.

Mr Heisler said in this context that this has been an ongoing issue for a very long time both for the Government and Jewish organisations, and he would be pleased if a proposal was made that they could review. He added that following the elections, both the Government and Jewish organisations will have to deal with this issue intensively. At the same time, the President of Mazsihisz drew attention to the fact that, based on international experiences, the implementation of such major exhibitions and projects takes as long as 4-6-8 years. In the case of all major Holocaust museums, including in Warsaw, Berlin and Washington, the parties concerned worked for years in order to develop a concept which the majority of society, both those concerned and those not concerned, are able to accept.

(MTI)