‘Austria regards the results achieved so far by the Hungary Helps Program as exemplary,’ Tristan Azbej, State Secretary for Assisting Persecuted Christians and Implementing the Hungary Helps Program at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated following his talks with Susanne Raab, the Austrian Minister for Integration and for Women, Family and Youth in Vienna on Monday.
Tristan Azbej explained that the purpose of the meeting was for the Austrian and Hungarian governments to share their knowledge and experiences regarding the aiding of persecuted Christians, specifically through the Hungary Helps Program. He added that the meeting gained further significance as Austria, following the Hungarian example, established a separate governmental unit within the Chancellor’s Office earlier in the year to assist persecuted Christian minorities. Moreover, the fact that the first foreign trip of the ombudsman leading this unit led to Budapest added to the relevance of Monday’s discussions. Consequently, specific areas of cooperation were discussed during the Monday meeting. Detailing the outcomes of the talks, the State Secretary highlighted their agreement on the notion that assisting persecuted individuals worldwide is integral to the European Christian identity. They also acknowledged the unfortunate lack of attention in the discourse of the European Union towards religious freedom outside of Europe and the fact that
Christianity remains the most persecuted religion globally in terms of its population.
According to Tristan Azbej, both parties agreed that the persecution of Christians around the world tends to be overlooked, particularly in the Western world. They also concurred that beyond combating antisemitism and Islamophobia, persecuted Christians deserve international support for the protection of their human rights and the provision of humanitarian aid necessary for their survival. Hence, they agreed to strengthen the protection of religious freedom and the fight against religious persecution within the European Union, as well as to exchange information concerning persecuted Christians worldwide.
An agreement was reached between Austria and Hungary to jointly explore further opportunities for concrete assistance, like the collaboration between Hungary Helps and the Christian charitable organization Missio Austria in providing aid to Christians living in Aleppo, Syria. It was also agreed that this collaboration could be elevated to a higher governmental level. The official responsible for the new Austrian governmental unit focusing on assisting persecuted individuals thanked Tristan Azbej for his briefing on the operation of the Hungary Helps Program and its achievements over the past six and a half years, considering it as an exemplary model.
During the talks, Susanna Raab provided insights into the integration situation and challenges in Austria. They concurred that
the solution to humanitarian problems and crises worldwide lies not in migration but in delivering assistance to the affected regions,
emphasized the Hungarian State Secretary. The negotiating delegations also agreed to continue their cooperation in the weeks following Easter. Regarding Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the European Union, the Austrian side expressed serious interest in Hungary’s programmes and initiatives related to freedom and peaceful coexistence among religions, indicating their willingness to provide supportive assistance.
Related articles:
Sources: Hungarian Conservative/KIM/MTI
