Hungarian Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar held a press conference today (Monday), after defeating Prime Minister Viktor Orbán - who had served for 16 years - yesterday.
During his remarks, Magyar referred to the relationship between Hungary and Israel, and promised that his country "will continue to show zero tolerance for any form of anti-Semitism.".
""As for relations between Israel and Hungary - I can say that there is a special connection between Israel and Hungary. Many of our Hungarian friends live in Israel, and many Israeli citizens come here to Hungary. There is a very strong Jewish community in Hungary, one of the largest in Europe, which lives in peace and security, to our joy.".
Magyar added that under his government, Hungary will continue to block decisions in the European Union against Israel, but he qualified that each decision will be examined individually.
Magyar presented a complex position on the International Criminal Court. He said that the withdrawal process cannot be stopped, but Hungary will work to rejoin the framework in the future.
The Jewish community in Hungary congratulated Péter Magyar after his election victory, praised the Orbán era, and expressed hope for continued security and prosperity.
In an official statement, the community emphasizes Orban's achievements, along with a call to preserve relations with Israel under Magyar's leadership.
The Jewish community in Hungary - one of the largest communities on the European continent - is estimated to number over 100,000 people.
