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Varieties of Populism in Hungary 155
of the government; it has nothing to do with party politics.” However, he did
not take a concrete side regarding the border fence; he claimed that the technical
solution was not their business, but uncontrolled migration is never good.“
The first period was not significant for Islamic communities. On behalf of the
Hungarian Islamic Community, President Zoltän Bolek had one statement, in
which he talked about the help that they provided.” During the second period he
emphasized the differences between Muslims and terrorists several times.“ In line
with integration, he said that whoever wants to live in Hungary, it is important
for them to learn about the culture and language. But this requires not only the
cooperation of the state, but also of the Muslim communities.” In 2016 he wrote
a public letter to Viktor Orban in which he highlighted the increasing hatred and
threats against Muslims, and he asked for protection.“*
Zoltän Szabolcs Sulok, the head of the Hungarian Muslim Community, highlighted
that because of the anti-Islamic rhetoric of the Hungarian government, people hold
Muslims responsible for the refugee problem, although not all refugees are Muslims
and not all refugees from Islamic countries are religious. He too pointed out the
differences between Muslims and terrorists. According to him, the fact that Hungarians
and most people do not know much about Islam makes anti-Islamism a more serious
issue. The recently increasing number of inexperienced, ignorant ‘Islamic experts’,
whom Sulok clearly criticizes for that reason, makes the situation even worse. He was
of the opinion that Hungarian society is divided into two groups. “While some are
open and tolerant to refugees and Islam, others are openly suspicious and rejecting,” he
claims. Sulok also emphasized that they will do their best to maintain social peace.”
Regarding the smaller churches, both humanitarian and securitisation narratives
appeared. Dr. Youssef Khalil, the leader of the Hungarian Coptic Orthodox Church,
® “Heisler András beszéde a WZO konferenciáján". Zsidó társadalom, 2016. https://
zsidotarsadalom.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/heisler-andras-beszede-a-wzokonferemciajan/
(Accessed 12 February 2018.)
Bak6 Beata: “Heisler: Biztonságban érzik magukat a zsidók Magyarországon". Mandiner,
2016. https://mandiner.hu/cikk/20160412 heisler biztonsagban erzik magukat a zsidok
magyarorszagon (Accessed 4 January 2018.)
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Koncz Tamás: "Alig látszik az egyházi segítség". Origo.hu, 2015. http:/www.origo.hu/
itthon/20150902-menekult-onkentes-segitseg-egyhaz-katolikus-reformatusetelosztas.html
(Accessed 6 March 2016.)
"Szélrózsa 2016: Iszlám és Európa". Luwtberanbu, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?¬
v-ILANBMzyRUk (Accessed 6 February 2018.)
"Szélrózsa 2016: Iszlám és Európa". Lutheranhn, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?¬
v-ILANBMzyRUk (Accessed 6 February 2018.)
One can access the letter in Hungarian on: https://www.facebook.com/zoltan.bolek/
posts/10154486945978419
Dávid Imre: "Hiába a mesterségesen szított iszlámellenesség, egyre többen járnak mecsetbe".
24.bu, 2016. https://24.hu/kozelet/2016/08/15/hiaba-a-mestersegesen-szitottiszlamellenes¬
seg-egyre-tobben-jarnak-mecsetbe/ (Accessed 8 December 2017.)
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