In addition to Hungary’s civil support system, resources are also available from the Norway Fund, he said.

This latter is not charity from the Norwegian state but rather the country has undertaken to distribute funding as part of a contractual system that also “secures excellent and very significant economic opportunities” for Norway, he added.

Soltész insisted that Norway Fund tenders should be handled the same way as European Union tenders, based on joint decisions by the Hungarian government and Brussels. “We hope that in the years to come, and already next year, the Norwegian government will change its approach.

We have witnessed European governments changing their approach in many ways ... [given that] one of the most important elements of our Europeanness is the preservation and maintenance of Christian values,” he said.

Deputy state secretary Attila Fülöp said tenders for supporting the professional programmes of civil organisations will also be announced in December.

In the case of tenders announced last week, the submission deadline for applications will be early January and the funding on offer ranges between 250,000 forints and 3 million forints per applicant.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu - Visit Hungary Matters to sign-up for MTI’s twice-daily newsletter.