Mazsihisz, the Jewish religious federation, has rejected an invitation from President László Sólyom to meet with representatives of other historical churches today, on the grounds that he sent the hate speech bill passed by Parliament to the Constitutional Court for a preliminary review.
A letter sent by Mazsihisz said Hungarian Jews have waited for many years for legislation to prevent the rise in hate-mongering, and in the increasingly crude verbal attacks on Jews and ethnic minorities. The bill provided an opportunity to sue those who incite others to hatred, but the President hindered it from taking effect, the statement said.
Sólyom expressed regret at Mazsihisz’s refusal in a statement. His office manager Sándor Tari said the President had sent the bill for a preliminary review because he had constitutional concerns about restrictions on the freedom of speech. Tari quoted Sólyom’s speech in Parliament on September 10 to the effect that “I acknowledge and defend the fears of those who were the targets and victims of racial discrimination and persecution, who were marked for death, excluded from the nation and deported form the country.”
