Aljazeera: Muslims put off by Hungaryʼs growing Islamophobia
While Muslim tourists may be attracted to Hungary by the recent discovery of what is believed to be the tomb of Suleiman the Magnificent in Szigetvár, the worsening treatment of Muslim people in this country is stirring distrust by residents and would-be visitors, according to a report published Thursday by Aljazeera.
Hilmi Türkmen, mayor of Üsküdar in Turkey, left, and Károly Szita, mayor of Kaposvár, the Hungarian sister city of Üsküdar, lay wreaths at the Hungarian-Turkish Friendship Park in Szigetvár on December 19 after visiting the apparent site of the tomb of Suleiman the Magnificent. (Photo: MTI/Péter Lendvai)
Late last year, after archeologists said they found evidence proving that Ottoman-era ruler Sultan Suleiman was buried in Szigetvár, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly announced plans to visit the site in September, for the 450th anniversary of the Sultanʼs death. If confirmed, the presence 0f the tomb is expected to draw many Muslim tourists.
But local Muslim organizations quoted in the article said that Muslims have been put off this country by the blatant anti-Muslim rhetoric of the prime minister – who has said that Europe must try to remain Christian – along with day-to-day incidents of prejudice.
“In Hungary our situation was quite good in the past. We lived in peace, with no major problems,” said Zoltán Sulok, the president of the Organization of Muslims in Hungary, according to Aljazeera. “But with the way key speakers of the government have communicated, the general situation has deteriorated, and now there are lots of verbal insults and even attacks against Muslims. ... Women are insulted and sometimes spat on, or their headscarves are dragged down. This never happened before.”
The article added a comment from Ahmed Miklós Kovács, vice president of the the Hungarian Islamic Community in Budapest, who said: “Society here is now very anti-immigrant and anti-refugee, and with that has come a very strong anti-Muslim feeling too.”
Report Points to Increased Risk on Commercial Real Estate Ma...
Chinese President to Visit Budapest in May
Hungarian Gen Z Auto-buyers Prioritize Affordability
Liz & Chain Rooftop Bar Debuts Sustainable Cocktails
SUPPORT THE BUDAPEST BUSINESS JOURNAL
Producing journalism that is worthy of the name is a costly business. For 27 years, the publishers, editors and reporters of the Budapest Business Journal have striven to bring you business news that works, information that you can trust, that is factual, accurate and presented without fear or favor.
Newspaper organizations across the globe have struggled to find a business model that allows them to continue to excel, without compromising their ability to perform. Most recently, some have experimented with the idea of involving their most important stakeholders, their readers.
We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.
