Jewish leaders condemn opposition politician for anti-Semitic statements

Chief Rabbi Tamas Rona told the paper that politicians who influence public opinion were doubly obliged to weigh their words carefully.

Jobbik politician Biro, who will run as an individual candidate in the Oct. 11 Borsod County by-election as a joint candidate of opposition parties, including the major left-wing parties, is accused of having made several anti-Semitic and racist statements in the past.

The rabbi said that even though Biro had apologised for making such statements, in his view there was no place in the legislature for politicians who make inflammatory remarks.

Slomo Koves of the United Hungarian Jewish Community told the paper that it was worrying that “the parties that support him indirectly legitimise anti-Semitism”.

The paper noted that, among others, Andras Heisler, president of Mazsihisz, Zoltan Somogyi, founder of Political Capital, and Bernadett Szel, former co-president of LMP, had condemned Biro’s anti-Semitic statements.