On the occasion of the Memorial Day of the Victims of the Holocaust in Hungary, the Prime Minister’s Office pays tribute to the almost six hundred thousand Hungarian victims most of whom were persecuted and killed on account of their Jewish descent.

Remembering, keeping alive the memories of martyrs and the heroes who saved lives, and setting their lives as an example for future generations is our moral duty.

The whole of Europe, with Hungary in it, is equally responsible for ensuring that the people of today and the generations to follow them learn from the sins of the past, understand their roots and think about their consequences. In this respect, education plays a key role, and the educational materials and guidelines developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance constitute a significant source for the purposes of these efforts.

This day also calls upon every well-meaning person to strengthen the feeling of solidarity and belonging together, and to enhance the exercise of tolerance towards one another. This is particularly true today when religious intolerance as a threat to Europe – which is a direct consequence of Brussels’ irresponsible immigration policy – is growing out of all proportion, manifesting itself in acts of violence in the western half of the continent.

There is only one solution to the alarming rate of anti-Semitic acts: Europe must return to a set of values that stems from Jewish-Christian traditions, while politically correct speech which is in actual fact based on lies and which drives our civilisation into a paralytic state and helpless inaction must be replaced with an attitude which faces up to our problems in a sincere and responsible manner.

It was in the spirit of this responsibility that the Government of Hungary earlier adopted the decisions in consequence of which today Hungary is one of the safest countries in Europe and in the world. In Hungary no one needs to be afraid of any discrimination or physical attack on account of their religion, origin or world views.

We have remembered the victims of the Holocaust in Hungary on 16 April of every year since 2000. It was on this day, on 16 April 1944 that Jews were first locked into ghettos and later deported in Transcarpathia.

May this day be a day of silent remembering and joint prayer. Prayer for the victims, and for the heroes who saved lives. Let us choose solidarity and proactive love professing tolerance and acceptance so that we can help heal the wounds, turn evil to good, create peace where there is war, and build a future where there is destruction.

(Prime Minister’s Office)