The European Union must help Lebanon locally

The European Parliament discussed the situation in Lebanon in its Tuesday plenary session in Strasbourg. MEP Kinga Gál, the president of the Fidesz European Parliament group, emphasized in her speech that the Christian churches play a key role in the performance of the tasks of the educational, social and health systems not runned by the state, therefore the European Commission must provide them with direct support. Fidesz MEP László Trócsányi highlighted: “We consider it important that the refugees in Lebanon be able to return home as soon as possible. Hungary actively supports the Christian community in Lebanon, and considers this to be its task in the future as well”.

Kinga Gál drew attention to the fact that as a consequence of Lebanon’s serious economic and political crisis and the dysfunctionality of the state, new waves of migration to Europe may begin. Local assistance is the solution to this, and the European Union must play an active role in this situation. The MEP emphasized that the local Christian churches play a key role in maintaining the educational, social, and health systems that are no longer operated by the state, so the European Commission must provide them with direct support. Kinga Gál stressed: Hungary has been significantly supporting the work of these Christian communities through the Hungary Helps program for years, thanks to which many religious, educational and cultural institutions were created and renewed, contributing to the promotion of remaining in the homeland and the prevention of emigration.

“The stability of Europe is closely related to the security of the countries of the Middle East. Lebanon has been facing internal and external conflicts for decades, the country’s instability endangers the everyday life of its citizens,” said MEP László Trócsányi in connection with the debate. He reminded: the Lebanese political parties have not been able to reach an agreement on the leadership of the country since last year’s parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, the political and economic difficulties are significantly aggravated by the burden of caring for more than one million admitted refugees. “We consider it important that the refugees in Lebanon can return home as soon as possible. “Hungary actively supports the Christian community of Lebanon, and also considers this to be its task in the future,” underlined the MEP, stating that Christians in the Middle East have historical roots, and their survival is the basis of the Middle East’s cultural diversity.