On Tuesday in the Parliament Building Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received the leaders of the Syrian Protestant congregations with the largest followings, Joseph Kassab, General Secretary of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, and Haroutune George Selimian, President of the Armenian Evangelical Community of Syria, and reassured them of Hungary’s support, Bertalan Havasi, the Prime Minister’s press chief informed the Hungarian news agency MTI.

At the meeting, which was attended by Azbej Tristan, Minister of State for helping persecuted Christians at the Prime Minister’s Office, and István Bogárdi Szabó, Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Church in Hungary, the guests informed their partners about the situation of Protestant churches in Syria, and the means by which the survival of Christian communities living there could be assisted. They said in the territories ravaged by war, reconstruction efforts contribute to families which often face threats and discrimination opting to return or stay at home, instead of migrating and leaving their country.

Mr Orbán repeated that Hungary shares the view that help should be taken where there is trouble, rather than bringing problems here. He therefore offered the Hungarian government’s financial support to persecuted Christians so that families which suffered a great deal in the war and were forced to leave can finally return to their homes, Mr Havasi said.

Via Hungarian News Agency MTI

Photo: Szecsődi Balázs