Hungary’s transportation minister gets sharp criticism for comments praising Nazi-allied WWII leader

By BELA SZANDELSZKY
Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A senior government official in Hungary is coming under sharp criticism for praising the country’s World War II-era leader as an exceptional head of state and a hero. Miklos Horthy was an ally of Nazi Germany during the war. He is believed to have imposed Europe’s first anti-Jewish laws of the 20th century. Minister of Construction and Transportation Janos Lazar made the comments praising him Sunday during a ceremony held on the 30th anniversary of Horthy’s reburial. The Israeli Embassy, the U.S. ambassador to Hungary and the rabbi of the country’s largest synagogue all took Lazar to task on Wednesday for glorying a self-described antisemite.