Hungary to give 2 million dollars for the renovation of 30 churches in Lebanon – Szijjártó

On top of the previously donated 1.8 million dollars, Hungary will contribute to the reduction of migration pressure by providing an additional two million dollars for the renovation of thirty Christian churches in Lebanon, Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó announced in Beirut on Thursday.

In a press conference streamed on his Facebook page, the Foreign Minister said that he comes from a country whose neighbor is at war, but that the armed conflict in Ukraine doesn't only negatively affect the region, but the whole world. He said that the food crisis was one of these effects, which is hitting the countries already in difficult situations the hardest. For example, we know what a huge effort is needed to provide for the population in Lebanon.

"We know that these difficulties could lead to new waves of migration from already unstable regions, which would be bigger and more serious than ever before. We also know that these migration waves have a destabilizing effect and are generally directed towards Europe," Szijjártó said, adding that Hungary, due to its geographical location, is constantly feeling the twofold pressure of war and illegal immigration.

"If this pressure increases, Europe will not be able to handle it," he said.

Szijjártó said that since displaced persons from Syria now make up about a fifth of the population in Lebanon, the international community should facilitate their return home, as their care is a heavy burden for the host community.

Failure to do so, combined with the food crisis, could lead to more people heading for Europe. He said that so far, the Hungarian government had funded the renovation of thirty-three Christian churches in the Middle Eastern country with $1.8 million, and that the second phase of the reconstruction program has now ended. Now the third phase can begin, during which thirty more churches will be renovated from a total of two million US dollars.

We would like to ensure that Lebanon remains Lebanon, so the Christian community here can count on Hungary's support. In the past, Lebanese Christians asked us to save their churches so that these churches could save the Christian communities" Szijjártó said.