Hungary joins initiative condemning massacre

Budapest (MTI) – Human Resources Minister Zoltan Balog became party to a joint declaration initiated by the Latvian presidency of the European Union and the French culture minister on the occasion of a commemoration of the victims of the terror attack on the writers of the satirical paper Charlie Hebdo.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Human Resources Ministry said the joint declaration notes that artistic freedom and the freedom to express one’s opinion is a fundamental European value.

“The members of the European Union continue to hold that these values must be protected in future, too,” the statement said.

The culture ministers of 27 member states condemned acts of barbarism “that undermine our most important values and principles with violence”.

Balog expressed his condolences to the French ambassador to Hungary on the telephone following the massacre on January 7 and ensured his support.

More than one million people are participating in an anti-terror rally in Paris on Sunday. They are marching for freedom and democracy as well as commemorating the victims of the massacre at Charlie Hebdo.

Photo: MTI

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