I have been working in the European Parliament as a staff member since 2003, helping the Fidesz-KDNP Civic Alliance to promote European policy.

In the midst of all the confusion and the many general, difficult-to-understand texts, I think it is important to take on as concrete a task as possible. After many years of experience, this is the only way forward. This is true of today’s political culture in general, but even more so of the European political landscape.

For many years, I have been responsible for the professional management of development policy for non-European countries within the Group of the European People’s Party. After the refugee crisis in 2015, Hungary is trying to implement the only real solution, the “act on the local level policy”.

I have prepared numerous forms of assistance in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Ghana. I am proud to have been involved in the establishment of the Hungary Helps Programme and to contribute to the excellent work of the State Secretariat as a Goodwill Ambassador of the Programme.

I believe that recognising the role of Churches in European and non-European societies is a fundamental political task. For more than ten years I have been working on the role of Churches in building society and on interfaith dialogue. I am convinced that strengthening this is a professional exercise. Churches and denominations are the only organisations that offer people an alternative from the beginning of life to the end of life and beyond.

Not to recognise the social value of churches, to restrict opinions on this, is a violation of freedom. In Europe today, freedom to express one’s personal beliefs, the life situations and worldviews that arise from them is limited. Reclaiming this freedom is also a serious political task.

I can only hope that Europe is not on its last legs, but is living its somewhat extended adolescence by, when occasion may arise, concealing or denying the values of its predecessors. It is my job to work to improve this, even if only in part. After all, despite all its madness and struggles, Europe is the most peaceful and the best place in the world.

Place and date of birth: Budapest, 13 June 1962.
Marital status: married, father of three children

Education, studies

1985 – 1990 ELTE TFK Hungarian Language and Literature – History teacher

1998 – 2001 BGF Tourism Economist training

Training programmes abroad

1995 Schuman Foundation European Training Programme

1991 – 1994 Kleinewefers Foundation, Central European Weeks Lauterheide, Germany

1993 Council of Europe Leadership Training London, England

Political and public activities

2000 – 2004 Barankovics Academy Foundation, President

2000 – 2001 National Foundation for Children and Youth, President

1995 – 2000 Member of the Board of Trustees of the Barankovich Academy Foundation

1991 – 1993 Founding President of the Christian Democratic Youth Union

1989 – Founding member of the Christian Democratic People’s Party

Current jobs / positions

02.02.2015 – Co-Chair of the EPP Group Working Group on Interreligious Dialogue

2014 – Member of the European Parliament

2017 – Director for Foreign Affairs of the KDNP

2019 –  Goodwill Ambassador of the Hungary Helps programme

Previous jobs / positions

2012 – 2014 Ministry of Human Resources, State Secretary for Relations with Churches, National Minorities and Civil Society

2009 – 2014 Group of the European People’s Party, European Parliament, Counsellor, Head of the Intercultural Dialogue Programme

2009 –  Schuman Foundation, Secretary General

2007 – 2009 Schuman Foundation, Deputy Secretary -General

2003 – 2009 Group of the European People’s Party, European Parliament, Press Officer

2000 – 2003 Head of the President’s Office, Duna Television Rt.

1999 Ministry of Youth and Sport, Deputy State Secretary

1996 – 1999 Tihany Benedictine Abbey, Tihany village, Director of Tourism

1994 – 1996 Christian Democratic People’s Party, Secretary for Foreign Affairs

1991 – 1994 Ministry of Social Welfare, Head of Parliamentary Secretariat

1990 – 1991 Szent-Györgyi Albert Primary and Secondary School, teacher

Committee memberships in the European Parliament

Committee on Development – Coordinator of the European People’s Party Group 

Subcommittee on Human Rights

Positions held in working groups

February 2015 Co-Chair of the EPP Group Working Group on Interreligious Dialogue

Languages

Fluent in German and English