On May 29, 2018, Tristan Azbej head of the Deputy State Secretariat for the Aid of Persecuted Christians took part in a working visit to Bratislava, where he met Lukáš Paríz, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic.

Pariz emphasized that Hungary and Slovakia have a common stance on the protection and aiding of persecuted religious minorities. The Secretary of State added that in the future they would be willing to continue working together in this area perhaps within collaboration of the Visegrad Countries (V4).

During the meeting Tristan Azbej gave a presentation reflecting on the Deputy State Secretariat under his lead, the reasons of its establishment, it’s role and the results achieved so far. During the meeting the parties discussed the possibilities of cooperation with the Slovak Republic within its presidency of the next V4 and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – and also discussed the situation of Christians in the crisis regions in the Middle East and North Africa.

“Concerning the humanitarian and migration crisis in the world, Hungary and Slovakia have taken the same stance: not to bring the trouble to Europe, but to go and help where there is trouble,” Tristan Azbej said after the meeting.

He added that migration should be stopped, but in crisis areas it is necessary to provide a helping hand to the people in need.

During his visit to Bratislava the Deputy State Secretary was welcomed by Ján Figel, Europen Unions’s Special Envoy for the Promotion of Freedom of Religion and Anna Verešová, President of Committee for Human Rights and Minorities of the National Council of Slovakia. Ján Figel commended on the Hungarian government’s concrete steps towards helping persecuted Christians.

He emphasized that although Hungary is a small country with scarce resources, yet it has achieved tangible results and also generously supported the needy.

Anna Verešová also carefully listened to the presentation on the Hungarian activities and regarded it exemplary that the Hungarian Parliament accepted a five-party resolution on the condemnation of Christian persecution and the genocide of the Middle East and Africa and also on supporting the persecuted.

Source: kormany.hu