Announcement at the intimidating armed NAV operation at the MET Church Center on February 21, 2022

Announcement at the intimidating armed NAV (National Tax and Customs Office) operation at the MET (Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship) Church Center on February 21, 2022

On the 21st of the current month, without notice, about 30officers of the armed criminal investigation division of the NAV (National Tax and Customs Office) occupied the church center of the Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship. The offices in the 8^th district of Budapest at 9, 11, 13, and 15 Dankó street were declared a “crime scene”. Breaking through office doors, the officers collected files and computers in about 30 bags. They constantly insisted that the representatives of the independent Hungarian press could not be present even when, the President of the Church (Gábor Iványi), insisted that they should include the press and announce what they were doing. Finally, at the urging of protesters and members of the press led by the President of the Church in the presence of a police officer, a “decision” and a “protocol” were handed over to a member of the staff that they held on suspicion of a crime. It stated in general terms that they had started an investigation in 2020, without the knowledge of the HEF (the Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship) leaders.

According to NAV, the HEF did not pay taxes and thus caused about 3 billion HUF in damage to the state. The truth is, however, that despite of a decision in Strasbourg by the European Court of Human Rights in favor of the church, the Hungarian state continued to refuse to provide support for the public tasks we have performed from 2017 onwards. All HEF employees are legally employed and officially reported through our payroll to the government. There are no “cash only” employees. The government debt to the HEF and its institution from before 2017 was settled from the resources provided by the Strasbourg decision, but since 2017, the state has not continued to make the payments required by the Strasbourg decree.

If the Hungarian state meets our legitimate claim, we will pay the required taxes immediately. We protest not only against the way the procedure is done, but also state that we have been and are ready to cooperate with all lawful procedures as law-abiding citizens. We object to the raid on our offices. NAV did not have to locate the crime scene at HEF workplaces. In theannouncement issued by NAV, it talks about unpaid taxes of HUF 3 billion. The Hungarian state owes the HEF four time that amount. We will make the tax payments that are in arrears immediately after the government pays the HEF the money it owes. This situation would not have existed if the Hungarian state had not started to persecute the HEF for political reasons.

We are convinced that given the timetable for the 2022 election, this campaign is another political message and tactic of intimidation by the government. The HEF and many othersare outraged at what has happened to a significant share of EU subsidies and how the prime minister’s family members and political circle of friends have become immeasurably rich.

During the raid, the kitchens of our institution continued to work undisturbed, cooking about 800 servings of food for our homeless clients and our schools. The doctor’s office, hospital, social office, daily public room, library, college, and thepastoral office were all open, even though NAV staff stopped and examined everyone who entered the building.

The HEF also sees what happened as an attack on the church. By twisting the ecclesiastical law, in violation of the constitution, the Hungarian government created an ecclesiastical law that withdrew church status from our denomination, which was established 40 years ago after persecution and declared a legally recognized and accepted church. The government has not returned church status to the HEF. Even though, ignoring ten years of counter-propaganda, forty thousand people have continued to offer 1% of their income tax to the church. NAV acknowledged that the 1% amount was previously unduly withheld and transferred the amount of about three hundred and fifteen million forints based on nearly forty thousand tax returns this year. However, that amount covers only this year. The amount of 1% for the four years between 2016 and 2019, has not been paid.

We hope that a decisive change will take place in Hungary’s government soon, which will result in both the political right and the left being able to carry out their work undisturbed, without compromising our fundamental human rights, and not under the rule of a false law.

We thank our many hundreds of enthusiastic sympathizers, brothers, and sisters, who appeared at the demonstration that was convened on the spur of the moment at six o’clock last night. Many were unable to approach the scene because the police (apparently on the order of their superiors) hermetically sealed the entire area and did not allow any vehicles or pedestrians to pass.

HEF continues to fulfill its mission (proclaiming God’s Word in words and deeds: feeding and clothing the poor, supportingtheir interests, clearly supporting, and assisting refugees, prisoners [including political ones], proclaiming freedom, andstrengthening faith, hope, and love). 

22 February 2022, Budapest

Gábor Iványi