Masses of people, including families and young men who do not want to participate in the war, have left Russia-invaded Ukraine.Continue reading
Hungary’s government is launching a coordinated aid campaign to help ethnic Hungarians “and anyone fleeing Ukraine for their lives”, the prime minister’s chief of staff said on Friday.
“We’re seeing that civil society has a strong desire and intent to help,” Gergely Gulyás said. “The government will coordinate this and contribute state resources to provide help primarily to Transcarpathia Hungarians and anyone fleeing Ukraine for their lives.”
Gulyás said Hungary was the first safe country refugees could enter, noting that western Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region has an ethnic Hungarian population of around 200,000.
The aid campaign, dubbed Bridge for Transcarpathia, will aim to provide help to those who have been forced to remain in the region, Gulyás said, adding that Hungary had a duty to admit Hungarians seeking refuge and anyone eligible for refugee status in the country.
Hungary will provide Transcarpathian settlements all the help they need, he said.
The government will soon publish the list of helplines that will be operated by the civil groups that can provide direct aid to those fleeing Ukraine or ethnic Hungarians who have stayed in Transcarpathia, Gulyás said.
The aid campaign will be coordinated by government spokeswoman Alexandra Szentkirályi.
featured image: Szentkirályi and Gulyás; via Attila Kovács/MTI