Providing for Ukrainian Refugees in Hungary Is “a Historic Act” Says Deputy Prime Minister

The rapid and professional provision of care for war refugees from Ukraine in Hungary was a heroic achievement and a historic act, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said on Tuesday in Budapest at the presentation of certificates for charitable activities.

Speaking at an event marking the fourth anniversary of the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Zsolt Semjén said that regardless of the state of relations between Ukraine and Hungary, they must not have any influence on the care of refugees from Ukraine, who are being given every assistance.

Zsolt Semjén. Photo: MTI/Balogh Zoltán

“The fact that relations between Hungary and Ukraine are what they are, that there is a conflict between the Zelensky regime and the Hungarian government, is one thing. But that must not affect the people fleeing Ukraine in any way (…) because they are not to blame for this,” he said.

Those who flee to Hungary are safe, the Christian Democrat politician explained, noting that refugees are not checked for military service,

so Hungary will not send anyone back to Ukraine” to send them to a war in which they do not want to die.

Zsolt Semjén thanked the Charitable Council, which had transformed itself into a National Humanitarian Coordination Council when the war broke out and a state of emergency was declared, and took on special tasks.

Photo: MTI/Balogh Zoltán

According to his information, 1.5 million refugees came to Hungary, of whom more than 700,000 were provided for;

71,000 people were transported onward, 83,000 were accommodated, 5,400 refugees received medical care, and 5,700 tons of food, clothing, and medical equipment were distributed.

The Deputy Prime Minister thanked the army, the police, the civil protection services, local authorities, government agencies, and charitable organizations for providing for the refugees.

Photo: MTI/Balogh Zoltán

He particularly emphasized the help provided by volunteers, saying:

The Hungarian government can provide money and coordinate, but without volunteers, nothing works.”

Zsolt Semjén also reported that 56,000 people had been granted asylum status, 258,000 had been granted temporary residence permits, and that MÁV had issued more than 1.1 million free train tickets to refugees.

He also mentioned that in recent years, 25,000 Ukrainian children had been able to attend holiday camps with the help of the Elisabeth Camps, the Rákóczi Association, and charitable organizations. 5,000 Ukrainian children attend public schools, and the government has provided them with additional lessons, Ukrainian language classes, and the opportunity to catch up on their studies.

The politician also expressed his gratitude for the services provided to Hungarians in Transcarpathia, saying: “It is important to see that they did not come as refugees, but came home; they are at home.” He added that thanks to the help of the government and charitable organizations, not a single Hungarian school in Transcarpathia had to be closed during the war.

Czech Parliament President Tomio Okamura: “We do not want to be dragged into the war in Ukraine!”