Hungarian Evangelical Brotherhood seeks restoration of church status

The Hungarian Evangelical Brotherhood (MET) is seeking the restoration of its official church status, which it lost in 2012 following changes to religious laws that moved recognition from courts to parliamentary votes. While the MET's status remains unresolved, the Wesley Kincsei School in Budapest has reopened, marking a potential step toward rebuilding the organization's institutional network.

MET leader Gábor Iványi stated that although a settlement proposal was submitted in April, the matter was recently referred to the relevant ministry without progress. Iványi noted that the Constitutional Court had previously ruled the loss of their status unconstitutional. The organization currently operates as a religious association, lacking the full funding and rights associated with official church status, which impacts its educational and social services.

To address these challenges, Iványi plans to meet with State Secretary Sándor Katz to request a personal meeting with the responsible minister. The MET emphasizes that restoring its status is essential for maintaining institutions that support disadvantaged groups, as current funding only covers basic costs and relies on temporary donations.