A passion for traditions and national identity ties Hungarian and Jewish people together, and a conclusion of 1956, that is valid to this day, is that it is always worth fighting for freedom and national independence, Szabolcs Takács said at the commemoration held at the Hungarian Embassy in Tel Aviv on the occasion of the anniversary of the 1956 revolution.

The Minister of State at the Prime Minister’s Office highlighted that the Jewish community in Hungary is one of the largest in the whole of Europe which the government looks upon as a rich source of values, and therefore the government is committed to ensuring that they may live and profess their identity, faith and culture in peace, security and freedom.

According to Mr Takács, today in Europe we may observe a distinct trend that people are turning away from their Jewish-Christian cultural roots, and this cannot be detached from migration involving people with Islamic roots. He added that the Hungarian government will continue to reject the dogma that mass migration cannot be stopped, and we should therefore resign ourselves to the prospect that within a few decades the continent’s ethnic and cultural map will change irrevocably and there is nothing we can do about this. Hungary takes the view that migration can be stopped and must be stopped, and Europe would pay a high price if it built its future not on the foundations of families and traditional Jewish-Christian core values, but on immigration and multiculturalism, the politician said.

According to the Minister of State, there cannot be a strong Europe without strong and independent states which are able to guarantee the safety and welfare of those living in their territories. Therefore the European Union should not prevent, but should support the preservation of national characteristics, and the right of the European people to decide for themselves, without any external pressure or influence, how they wish to live their lives in their own countries.

Israel can continue to rely on Hungary’s friendship, support and understanding in the management of the challenges of the 21st century, in particular, the fight against terrorism, and the issues of security and border protection, Mr Takács said. He added that the Hungarian government advocates a zero tolerance policy against anti-Semitism, and takes firm action against both mass immigration posing a threat to Jewish communities and the funding from Brussels of NGOs undermining the sovereignty and security of the State of Israel.

((Prime Minister’s Office))