Earlier this week, it was announced around 1,000 displaced children from Artsakh are set to attend a summer camp in Hungary, following an initiative agreed upon during a meeting between Armenia’s Minister of Labor, Narek Mkrtchyan, and Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó. In August, 120 children had already participated in the program, which claims to provide relief and recreational opportunities for children affected by the recent ethnic cleansing in Artsakh.
However, this initiative is controversial and can be seen as a vehicle for child indoctrination, given Hungary’s troubling history with Armenia, particularly its pro-Turkish and pro-Azerbaijani stance. Unlike other EU member states, Hungary has openly supported Azerbaijan in the Artsakh war. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its support for Azerbaijan just three days after the outbreak of the 2020 Artsakh War.
Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender, Gegham Stepanyan, emphasized that Hungary has consistently maintained a pro-Turkish and pro-Azerbaijani stance, particularly on the Artsakh issue. He noted that Hungary actively participated, even at the highest levels, in the Organization of Turkic States summit held in Shushi, a city now under Azerbaijani control following the ethnic cleansing and displacement of Armenians from Artsakh. Stepanyan also pointed out Hungary’s role in blocking a joint EU statement addressing the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh during the blockade of the Berdzor Corridor. Additionally, Hungary’s representative at a UN Security Council meeting made strongly pro-Azerbaijani statements while discussing the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh, further aligning Hungary with Azerbaijan.
Hungary’s controversial relationship with Azerbaijan extends to the 2004 murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan by Azerbaijani soldier Ramil Safarov in Budapest. Safarov brutally attacked Margaryan with an ax while he was asleep during a NATO “Partnership for Peace” program. Despite his murder conviction, Hungary extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan in 2012, where he was immediately pardoned and celebrated as a national hero. This event epitomizes the deep-seated Armenophobia that underpins Hungary’s alignment with Azerbaijan.
Sending displaced children from Artsakh to a state sponsored summer camp in Hungary is seen by many as an attempt to indoctrinate the youth into viewing Turkey and Azerbaijan as peaceful nations. This comes at a time when Armenian authorities are working toward normalization of relations despite Turkey and Azerbaijan’s continuous aggression and genocidal acts. The initiative raises concerns about the potential for influencing these vulnerable children to overlook the deep-rooted Armenophobia and violent history that has shaped their lives.
While this program is presented to support the well-being of Artsakh’s children, its location in a country with a contentious history toward Armenia casts a shadow over its true intentions.
