Doubts Over Hungary‘s Support For Persecuted Christians
By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News reporting from Budapest
(Worthy News) – Hungary’s right-wing government has come under pressure amid reports that it spends more on anti-migration propaganda than on support for persecuted Christians.
Under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary claimed to be one of the world’s first nations to dedicate a government office to those suffering for their Christian faith.
But data obtained by media showed that the controversial anti-migration campaign by the government exceeded the roughly 11 billion forints ($35 million) allocated to persecuted Christians.
“It may seem like a lot, but the government is helping persecuted Christians with little money,” noted Attila Kálmán, an investigative reporter of news service 24.hu.
The government propaganda included posters that were perceived as anti-Semitic by Jewish groups against U.S. billionaire George Soros, a Holocaust survivor born in Hungary.
HOTELS POPULAR
Additionally, hotels run by the prime minister’s friend and favorite business associate Lőrinc Mészáros “received more” government money “with one stroke of a pen than the persecuted Christians in three years,” commented 24.hu.
Hungary also faces European Union investigations over alleged financial
wrongdoing with state and EU funds. Amid the turmoil, reports emerged that Hungary would end the program after already closing controversial transit zones for asylum seekers.
Hungary’s government has so far denied halting its Hungary Helps program and a related secretariat for persecuted Christians. Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s state secretary for aid to persecuted Christians, earlier called Christianity “the most persecuted religion in the world.”
Under his reign, Hungary claimed to have helped some 70,000 persecuted Christians to survive or return to their homes in years.
He told a Worthy News reported earlier that Hungary spent tens of millions of dollars on humanitarian aid, including such as rebuilding hospitals, schools, and churches in war-torn Syria and other nations.
MASSIVE PERSECUTION
“When we are talking worldwide Christianity, there are more than 245 million people who are either persecuted by genocidal attacks or discriminated by law or by social pressure in the world. So, 245 million creates it as one of the most important and the gravest human rights crisis of our time,” the state secretary added.
The government also organized international gatherings on Christian persecution.
However, rights groups claim the support stops at the border when persecuted Christians ask for asylum.
Among them, Abouzar Soltani, an Iranian Christian, and his 11-year-old-son Armin. They had been living in blue containers since late 2018 after asking asylum on political and religious grounds.
Hungary threatened to deport Soltani back to Iran, though he could face execution there for converting from Islam to Christianity. After his release from some eighteen months in containers, Soltani “thanked God” and his friends in Hungary for supporting him throughout his ordeal.
But he and others still face an uphill battle to settle and restart a better life in Hungary or another nation. Hungary’s government built huge fences along its southern borders to halt migrants and refugees fleeing war, persecution, and poverty.
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