Government allocates EUR 645,000 to charities supporting migrants

Budapest (MTI) – The government has recently decided to allocate 200 million forints (EUR 645,000) to three charity organisations helping migrants in Hungary, the parliamentary group of ruling Fidesz said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, civil group Migration Aid protested remarks by the prime minister, who said in Parliament that civil groups helping migrants had received significant financial support from the government.

Migration Aid said on Facebook that they had not received any funds from central coffers and “to avoid misunderstanding”, called on the government to disclose the list of organisations as well as the funds allocated.

In its statement, Fidesz said in response that Viktor Orban had not said that the government would support Migration Aid. “Immigrants are helped by several officially registered and experienced charity organisations,” the document added.

The Fidesz statement suggested that Migration Aid, founded in June, was not a transparent organisation, and as such, could not be funded by the central budget.

The government’s allocations have gone to the Red Cross, the Hungarian Ecumenical Charity and the Maltese Charity.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters