Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is protesting the December decision of the European Court of Justice to ban kosher slaughter in a letter to Isaac Herzog, President of the Jewish Agency, in Jerusalem, press secretary Bertalan Havasi said Tuesday. The head of the Agency wrote to Orbán on Dec. 31, drawing his attention to this topic, which is “extremely important for the Jewish communities of Europe”. In his reply, Orbán wrote that in the last decade, his government has sought to ensure the security and well-being of the Hungarian Jewish community. “Thanks to our efforts, we have experienced a renaissance of Jewish life and Jewish culture in Hungary, characterized by such remarkable events as the Maccabi Games and the annual Jewish Cultural Festival,” he wrote.
In the spirit of this, Orbán said that the recent ruling of the European Court of Justice, which allowed Member States to maintain the ban on kosher cuts, was a deep disappointment. “I believe this decision is not just an attack on religious freedom, but an attack on our Judeo-Christian heritage and Jewish communities in Europe. Consequently, my government quickly condemned this harmful decision, and we will do our utmost to raise our voice against it in all possible international forums,” Orbán wrote. He added that he believes in a Europe that not only guarantees religious freedom but also proudly stands for the Judeo-Christian heritage, traditions and values on which our countries and societies are based. In a Dec. 17, 2020 ruling, the European Court of Justice upheld a ban on kosher ritual slaughter in Belgium. Herzog raised his voice against the ban on Twitter, writing that “t here’s been a campaign waging in Europe against freedom to uphold Jewish traditions – circumcision & Kosher slaughter. European Ct of Justice rejected appeal on Belgian Kosher slaughter ban. I urge European leaders to halt evil attempts to outlaw & end Jewish life in Europe. “
Title image: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. (source: Facebook)
