USCIRF Alarmed by Anti-Semitic Remarks in Hungary

“The listing of Jews in Hungary brings up memories of the darkest days of Nazism...” - USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett

Marton Gyongyosi photo courtesy: vol.at

(WASHINGTON DC) - Marton Gyongyosi, a Hungarian politician from the far-right Jobbik party, on November 26 issued a statement in Parliament urging the government to create a list of Jews who pose a “national security risk.” Gyongyosi serves as the leader of Jobbik, which is the third largest party in the Hungarian parliament with 44 of the 386 seats. The Hungarian government condemned the remarks.

“As the daughter of Hungarian Holocaust survivors, this statement by the leader of a political party and sitting Member of Parliament is deeply concerning,” said USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett. “The listing of Jews in Hungary brings up memories of the darkest days of Nazism, when hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed or deported to their death. There is no place for such talk in civilized societies.”

The Hungarian government “in the strongest possible terms” condemned the remarks and stated its opposition to “all forms or expressions of extremism, racist or anti-Semitic, and does everything in its power to combat it.” Other political parties in the Parliament also condemned the remarks.

“I was pleased to see the strong response by the Hungarian government and Parliament,” added Lantos Swett. “Denouncing such hateful statements is crucially important to show that Hungary will ‘never again’ tolerate the scourge of anti-Semitism.”

Source: www.uscirf.gov