Ervin Kulcsár of the Vitézi Rend delivered a xenophobic speech at HungaroFest in Toronto

I recently wrote about the visit of Mr. Levente Magyar, Hungary’s Deputy Minister and Parliamentary State Secretary to Toronto to attend HungaroFest where Canadian officials inaugurated a plaque to commemorate the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

The event took place on June 1 at Budapest Park in Toronto, and on the podium the Hungarian politician was sitting next to a member of the Vitézi Rend who was proudly flashing his Horthy insignia. I also noted that according to US State Department directive FAM 302.7 the Vitézi Rend (Order of Heroes) is a fascist “criminal organization” as defined by the international Military Tribunal at Nuremberg.

After publishing the article I received numerous emails and I learned that the gentleman with the Horthy insignia is vitéz Ervin Kulcsár, the event’s keynote speaker. Vitéz Kulcsár arrived as a refugee to Canada after 1956 and frequently appears with visiting Hungarian politicians and diplomats, among them Ambassador to Canada, Bálint Ódor. His incoherent speech was often xenophobic and included shocking comments.

Vitéz Kulcsár spoke at the Hungary’s Consulate in Toronto in 2016, Ambassador Bálint Ódor (far left) Consul Ms. Stefánia Szabó (behind).

First, I am disturbed that an elderly member of a retrograde group considered to be a “fascist criminal organization” is hobnobbing with Hungarian diplomats in Canada. US President Trump fired his advisor Mr. Sebastian Gorka after reports surfaced that he wore the Horthy insignia.

Second, Mr. Kulcsár insulted Mr. Arif Vinari, Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship who donated the 56-er plaque and was sitting behind him! Mr. Virani is a Muslim, an immigrant himself born in Kampala, Uganda. He was visibly shocked and did not applaud.

Something very strange is happening in Toronto. The Orbán government is exporting its far-right xenophobic, racist and anti-Semitic agenda and financially rewarding Hungarian immigrants who are willing to participate in this project. I want to assure Mr. Virani that very few Hungarian immigrants in North-America share Kulcsár’s xenophobic view of immigration.

Please watch Mr. Kulcsár’s speech by clicking here and if you agree that he insulted Mr. Virani please send an email with your apologies to Arif.Virani@parl.gc.ca to the House of Commons of Canada.

György Lázár

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