Minister of State for Churches, National Minorities and Civil Affairs Miklós Soltész has said that at the Tuesday meeting of the Charity Council, Hungarian charity organisations discussed migration, the role which should be played by the National Conference of Student Associations (HÖOK) and the situation in Transcarpathia.
Mr. Soltész said that the members of the Charity Council (Caritas Hungarica, Hungarian Reformed Church Aid, the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, Baptist Aid, the Hungarian Red Cross and Hungarian Interchurch Aid), together with the Knights of St. John Aid Service and the Greek-Catholic Saint Luke Charity Service, reported that recently the number of volunteers joining them has increased; they can thus fulfil their duties, which have multiplied.
Mr. Soltész said that aid organisations also receive help from abroad and – when needed – they also extend their activities into Serbia or Croatia. He also said that following HÖOK’s offer of assistance, the council decided that students could offer aid in interpretation, care of children and families and restoration of affected areas.
In order to provide the most effective assistance, the Charity Council asked HÖOK to ensure that students work under the supervision of aid organisations.
Mr. Soltész also said that they had reviewed the situation in Ukraine and the Transcarpathian region, saying that “The current crisis must not be allowed to overshadow the need to help in the Transcarpathian region and Ukraine”.
At the meeting aid organisations decided to renew or continue gathering financial and food aid, as well as gathering fuel and boilers, which will be in great demand with the beginning of the heating season.