Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s meeting with Syriac Patriarch: We reject sanctions against church leaders
12. 05. 2022.
On Thursday in the Carmelite Monastery, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, Bertalan Havasi, the Prime Minister’s press chief informed the Hungarian news agency MTI.

Ignatius Aphrem II was one of the Eastern Christian church dignitaries who asked Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to prevent the European Commission’s plan to place Patriarch Kirill of Moscow on the sanctions list. At the Thursday meeting, the Syriac Patriarch took the view that the placement of a Christian church leader on the sanctions list would create a precedent that would confuse and upset millions of Christian believers.

Mr Orbán repeated that Hungary will not support the placement of church dignitaries on the sanctions list as this would also affect the issue of freedom of religion for Hungarian communities which is “sacrosanct”.

Ignatius Aphrem II thanked the Prime Minister and the Hungarian people for the ongoing support they provide for Christian communities in need, the press chief reported.