On Friday Bertalan Havasi, the Prime Minister’s press chief, informed the Hungarian news agency MTI that a recent public statement by President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald S. Lauder – on relocation of the Open Society Foundations (OSF) from Budapest to Berlin – is deeply offensive to Hungary and its citizens. Mr. Havasi said that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has written to Mr. Lauder regarding the matter.

Mr. Orbán’s letter states that “We are astonished. [...] The clear and widely-known reason for the OSF’s relocation from Budapest is that Hungary has introduced regulations which extend the requirement for transparency to organisations funded from abroad.”

In his letter the Prime Minister elaborated as follows: “I would draw the Honourable President’s attention to the fact that the OSF and its founder share personal responsibility for the growth of anti-Semitism in Europe. Among the migrants they have ushered into Europe are individuals whose political and religious views have perceivably increased the threat being faced by Jewish communities. By contrast, in preventing the uncontrolled entry of migrants into the territory of the European Union, Hungary and its government are also protecting Europe’s Jewish communities.”

Mr. Orbán continued: “Our policy is motivated by principles and moral considerations, and also serves the ideal of Jewish-Christian coexistence, in which we continue to firmly believe. We naturally expect neither recognition nor thanks for this from the World Jewish Congress. We do expect, however, that, when sharing their views with the public, Jewish leaders living on the other – safer – side of the ocean demonstrate more insight and sympathy – as well as more objectivity, respect and fairness.” The Prime Minister described his words as being written “with ever diminishing hope”.

In an interview published on Wednesday in the German newspaper Bild, Mr. Lauder expressed his concern at the OSF’s relocation to Berlin. The President of the World Jewish Congress said that no one is required to agree with everything George Soros says or does, but unfair treatment has been meted out to a man who did so much for the spread of democracy after the fall of communism in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

(MTI)