German journalist allegedly firebombed Hungarian Centre in Ukraine

Last year, a Polish man was accused of being involved in the firebombing of a Hungarian Cultural Centre located in Western-Ukraine. He said that he had been given instructions by a far-right German journalist who has worked as a consultant for the German Government and for the Alternative for Germany political party.

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty reported that the Hungarian Cultural Centre in the city of Uzhhorod (capital of the Zakarpattya region in Western-Europe) is the building of the Hungarian Cultural Association.

The Polish man accused German politician Manuel Ochsenreiter of providing instructions for the attack of the building on the 4th of February 2018. A representative for Ochsenreiter denied the accusations. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the attack, but it definitely deepened the conflict between the Hungarian and Ukranian capital over the education law Hungary set for Ukraine.

Ochsenreiter, who is also the editor of the right-wing German magazine Zuerst! (First!), has been an enthusiastic commentator in Russian state media and politics and ensured his support for the western region of Ukraine. He has also worked in recent months as a consultant for Markus Frohnmaier, a member of Germany’s parliament who spoke for Ochsenreiter and denied the charges.

“My co-worker denies the allegations as fictitious. I also cannot imagine there is [any truth] to it, but do consider it plausible that the accused has wrongly accused [Ochsenreiter] to improve his own situation” – said Frohnmaier.

According to the Polish authorities who started the investigation, there was no immediate indication that the German politician and journalist had been charged with any crime. Ochsenreiter himself was also unaware of any allegations from Polish authorities.

Following the February 4 attack and a second firebombing of the Hungarian Cultural Center with Molotov cocktails, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Pavlo Klimkin, suggested that Russia was behind both incidents. The attacks created tension between Ukraine and Hungary, which caused Kyiv to be accused of failing to protect ethnic Hungarians.

Featured image: www.facebook.com/mleeta

Source: rferl.org