While in some western European countries, like Belgium, laws are passed to ban Shechita, the Jewish ritual slaughter of animals, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Oraban has expressed his commitment to maintain full freedom of religion for the Jewish community.

He made the commitment during a meeting with prominent Jewish leaders who visited the Hungarian Jewish Community at the initiative of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE).

The delegation consisted of Israel’s Chief Rabbi, David Lau, General Director of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe and European Jewish Association, Rabbi Menachem Margolin and Hungarian Rabbis, Rabbi Baruch Oberlander and Rabbi Shlomo Kovesh, head of the Chabad-Lubavitch-affiliated EMIH Jewish community.

The members of the delegation, who inaugurated Thursday the opening of a new kosher slaughterhouse in the country, thanked Prime Minister Orban for his commitment to freedom of religion and to the eradication of anti-Semitism.

“The Prime Minister of Hungary Mr. Viktor Orbán and his deputy, Mr. Zsolt Semjén, are well aware of the challenges they face in their fight against anti-Semitism, but we were deeply impressed by their commitment and the unconditional support they offer for the continuation of Jewish religious life in the country,” said Rabbi Margolin.

During the meeting, Israel’s Chief Rabbi Lau expressed his appreciation for the Hungarian government and its leaders’ efforts to eradicate anti-Semitism and allow full religious freedom, and for their help to maintain kosher Jewish slaughter in the country.

“In times like these, when the Belgian parliament passes a law banning kosher slaughter and other countries are undermining freedom of religion all over Europe, we were happy to inaugurate a new kosher slaughterhouse and to witness the help of the government to the Hungarian religious Jewish community,” said Chief Rabbi Lau and Rabbi Margolin.

Around 120,000 Jews live in Hungary.