Hungary expresses condolences on Coptic church attack

Budapest, December 11 (MTI) – Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed his condolences in telegrams to Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and to Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the president of Egypt, following an attack on the Coptic cathedral in Cairo on Sunday, the PM’s press chief told MTI.

“I can assure you that Hungary and the Hungarian government, in the spirit of Christian values, are prepared to offer all assistance possible to the Coptic community in Cairo to recover from the damages,” Orbán wrote to the Coptic pope, said Bertalan Havasi.

“I wish to express condolences to the families of the victims and to the community of Egyptian Christians in the name of all Hungarians,” Havasi quoted Orbán as saying.

In a telegram to the president, Orban called the attack one against Egyptian Muslim and Christian communities who live in peace together as well as against all Egyptians. He said the president’s fight against terrorism was “greatly appreciated” in Hungary and was of “vital importance” for all of Europe.

The attack, for which there was no immediate claim of responsibility, killed at least 20 people and injured 35, Egyptian state television reported.

Hungary deputy PM expresses solidarity with Coptic Christian community

Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén expressed his solidarity with the Coptic Christian community following a bombing at Egypt’s main Coptic Christian cathedral in Cairo.

Hungary supports the vulnerable and threatened Eastern Christian community, Semjén said in a statement, condemning the terrorist attack.

Photo: MTI/AP/Nariman el-Mofti

Source: MTI