Official lauds the United States’ role in the Hungary’s transition to democracy

Addressing a gala event organised by the Hungarian American Coalition (HAC) in Washington, DC, Zsolt Németh, the head of parliament’s foreign affairs committee, underlined the importance of cross-border national unity.

In his speech delivered on Friday evening, Németh lauded Hungary’s 1989-1990 regime change, emphasising the United States’ role in the country’s transition to democracy.

He said the US and NATO again had key roles to play in preserving security and stability in central Europe.

The event held at the Hungarian embassy was attended by former US Ambassador to Hungary April Foley, former diplomat to Budapest Thomas Robertson, Susan Hutchison, Executive Director of the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, Lauer Edith, a founding member of the HAC, eye physician and surgeon Dr. Péter Forgach, Istvan Fedor, founder of the American Hungarian Heritage House in Washington, and Zsolt Szekeres, head of the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation, among others.

Speaking to MTI after the gala dinner, Németh said Hungary’s change of regime had been a fulfillment of the hopes of the generation of Hungarians who had emigrated to the US after Hungary’s failed anti-Soviet uprising of 1956.

He said 1989 represented the ideas of national unity and national identity to the younger generations.

Németh is on an eight-day trip to the US visiting Cleveland, Ohio and Houston, Texas. Commenting on his talks with foreign affairs officials and congressmen in Washington, Németh said he had told his partners that Hungary would soon make an announcement on lifting its reservations concerning the Global Magnitsky Act which allows the US government to impose sanctions on alleged human rights abusers.

Earlier on Friday, Németh, together with László Szabó, Hungary’s ambassador to the US, unveiled a commemorative plaque at the Kossuth House in the US capital.

Németh also handed over a Hungarian flag that had been hoisted on top of Hungary’s Parliament building to the director of the Kossuth House.

Source: MTI