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The expulsion of goalkeeping coach Zsolt Petry from Bundesliga club Hertha BSC strained relations between Hungary and Germany.

President Viktor Orban's chief of staff questioned the rule of law in Germany on Thursday.

"In a constitutional state, one cannot be punished for expressing an opinion," said Orban's confidante Gergely Gulyas.

The move reminds him of the “totalitarian regime” in Germany during the Nazi era.

“Above all, Germany must answer the question of whether it is still upholding the rule of law.” The Hungarian Foreign Ministry declared on Thursday that the dismissal “restricts freedom of expression” and appointed the chargé d'affaires at the German embassy.

This was confirmed by a spokesman for the Federal Foreign Office.

The statements of the Hungarian government are in no way understandable.

“The Chargé d'Affaires also communicated this to the Hungarian government in an interview.

We reject the allusions to National Socialism very clearly. ”A Hertha BSC spokesman called Gulyas' comparison“ abstruse ”on request.

The association is "actively committed to a diverse society, equality and tolerance".

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In an interview with the “Magyar Nemzet” newspaper, Petry described European immigration policy as an “expression of moral decline”.

The Hungarian also criticized his compatriot and goalkeeper from RB Leipzig, Péter Gulácsi, who had expressed solidarity with a campaign for LGBT rights in February.

Hertha said on Tuesday that Petry's statements violated the club's commitment to values ​​such as diversity and tolerance.

The Hungarian treaty was terminated with immediate effect.

After his release, Petry said he regretted his statement about migration and apologized "to all people who seek refuge".