The mental health situation caused by the war – Roundtable discussion at the Rákóczi College

Viktória Ferenc, Member of the European Parliament for Fidesz, held a roundtable discussion on The mental health situation in Transcarpathia caused by the war. The event took place on March 14 at the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education.

The aim of the event was to bring together a range of experts and stakeholders to find solutions and responses to the mental health problems caused by war and to help improve the well-being of people living in the region.

István Csernicskó, the rector of our college, welcomed the attendees, emphasizing that the roundtable discussion was organized to explore coping strategies, as the saying goes, “a healthy mind in a healthy body,” but at the same time, a healthy body is not possible without a healthy mind.

“As a Member of the European Parliament, I work in various committees. One of these is the Committee on Public Health, where Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for health, supports our work, which has reinforced my commitment to addressing the mental health of Hungarians in Transcarpathia, as mental health is an important issue not only at the individual but also at the societal level. With the eventual arrival of peace, the events of the war will not pass without a trace, which is why it is important to address mental health alongside physical health,”

said Viktória Ferenc.

In his speech, István Gyebnár, chargé d’affaires of the Consulate of Hungary in Beregszász, pointed out that, as in all regions of Ukraine, the life of the people in Transcarpathia has been marked by the Russian-Ukrainian war. The Hungarian government has been striving to provide assistance to those in need since the beginning of the conflict, as Hungary is carrying out the largest humanitarian aid operation in its history.

After the welcome speeches, the round table discussion, moderated by István Csernicskó, began.

First, Márta Popovicsné Palojtay, the Episcopal Secretary for Pastoral Affairs of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Munkács, Archpriest-Parish Priest István Pogány, Ferenc Fehér, the head of the St. Martin Caritas Charitable Foundation in Transcarpathia, Sándor Zán Fábián, the bishop of the Transcarpathian Reformed Church, and Krisztán Ábrány, a Greek Catholic priest and mental health specialist, shared their thoughts on the problems they have observed within their congregations. In their summary, they emphasized the need to place a strong focus on providing mental support to children, separated families, and couples, as well as the necessity of starting grief support groups, as men stranded abroad can often only attend the funerals of their loved ones online, which deeply affects them.

They were followed by pediatrician Erzsébet Biró, the director of the Children’s Hospital in Transcarpathia, who highlighted that children’s hospitals bear a great responsibility, as the state has foreseen that every hospital establish a psychiatric department, but the biggest problem is the lack of qualified professionals.

This was followed by János Gerevich, head of Hungarian Interchurch Aid’s branch office in Transcarpathia, and János Makuk, the head of the Maltese Charity Service in Beregszász district, who reported on their activities, the programs they use to assist those who have stayed at home, as well as their experiences and the problems they face.

They were followed by Emőke Berghauer-Olasz, a teacher at our college and the head of the institution’s Psychological Counseling Service, who spoke about the presence of various mental health issues, emphasizing that these have been supported by various studies, and what is happening here in Transcarpathia goes beyond mental hygiene, as the staff of the Psychological Counseling Service encounter situations that require adequate professional expertise.

She also added that starting in September 2025, our institution will launch a psychology training program, which is a necessary response to the existing mental health crisis.

In her closing remarks, Viktória Ferenc thanked the participants for coming to this discussion and sharing what they are experiencing in our community, adding that it is very important to talk about these issues, as this is the only way we can help those in need.

“I thank the honourable Member for taking up this cause and bringing it to the European Parliament. We must recognize that not only those directly involved in combat need and will need mental health support, but also those living further away, here in Transcarpathia, as the war is also making its impact felt here. Let us carry this message forward today,”

concluded Ildikó Orosz, the president of our college, closing the discussion.

Anita Kurmay

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