Hungary seeks to aid persecuted Christians around the world

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Hungary says it is setting up a special department to co-ordinate the assistance and rescue of persecuted Christians around the world.

Janos Lazar, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, said Thursday that the 10-person office will seek to organize international aid for persecuted Christians when the work of private and non-profit groups proves insufficient.

Lazar says the new department within the Ministry of Human Resources was inspired by a recent trip the prime minister took to Rome, where he met with representatives of Eastern Christian churches.

Lazar says the meetings made clear “there would be a great need for European government organizations to take this issue more seriously.”

Orban has said that taking in large numbers of Muslim refugees will destroy Europe’s Christian identity.

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