Hungarian officials voice sympathy over Berlin attack

Hungarian President Janos Ader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban voiced their sympathies on Tuesday with the victims, families of victims over Monday's attack in Berlin.

Ader sent a telegram of sympathy to German President Joachim Gauck over the killing of at least 12 people and the injuring dozens more when a truck drove into a crowd at a Christmas fair in Berlin on Monday night. He expressed the sympathy of the Hungarian people and reiterated his condemnation of terrorism in any form.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote to German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressing shock and sympathy. He called the attack a serious blow to all of Europe.

The governing Fidesz Party declared its shock over the terrorist attack on the Berlin Christmas fair and the murder of Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, who was shot while opening an exhibition.

The third incident of violence was in Zurich, when an unknown perpetrator shot a group of people who were praying, seriously injuring three of them.

The opposition Socialist MSZP Party noted that these attacks were really aimed at the freedom, independence, tranquility, and security of all of us. It called for close international cooperation and the establishment of strong, unified, and coordinated law enforcement and secret services as the only way to achieve success.

The Hungarian Ministry of Internal Affairs said it was sustaining its Level Three (medium) readiness for a terrorist attack but was increasing the number of police on patrol, particularly around Christmas shoppers.

source: Xinhua