On the 2nd of November, H.E. Mr Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary visited Geneva. He made a statement in his capacity of Head of the delegation of Hungary at the 39th session of the Human Right’s Council’s Universal Period Review (UPR), where he expressed Hungary’s stance on various human rights issues.
In his UPR statement, the Foreign Minister presented Hungary’s progress and legislative achievements in the protection, promotion and fulfilment of human rights over the five years that have elapsed since our last examination under the Universal Periodic Review. Minister Szijjártó expressed respect for the work conducted by the Human Rights Council, and underlined Hungary’s commitment to upholding the traditional values that underpin it. In light of the conservative, Christian values espoused by Hungary’s democratically elected government, its policies and practises do not always align with that of the Western, liberal mainstream. Therefore the Hungarian government receives a lot of criticism and attacks. The Foreign Minister stressed that it is Hungary’s sovereign right to apply an approach based on its cultural, religious and historical values to issues ranging from family support and child protection to border management and migration.
Hungary has always been, and will always be, ready to conduct a dialogue and consultation on concrete issues, laws, and pieces of legislation. Constructive engagement with the international community to help ensure that all Hungary’s citizens can enjoy the full attainment of their fundamental human rights is something that Hungary whole-heartedly supports. However, the foreign minister also pointed out that the Human Rights Council should not be the forum for hollow accusations, politically motivated attacks or attempts to impose alien value systems on the Hungarian people.
