BUDAPEST (AFP)--- The Hungarian Jewish Faith alliance filed an official complaint on Tuesday on behalf of a renowned Hungarian Jewish actor, in the northern town of Eger.

The complaint to the public prosecutor’s office came amid allegations that actor and star of more than 50 local films Jozsef Szekhelyi was refused involvement in the city’s annual cultural festival because “he was not welcome by the inhabitants of the city.”  

The claim was substantiated when an audio recording of a local cultural board meeting of September 2011 emerged, during which one of the participants claimed: “Just because everybody says that Szekhelyi is a filthy Jew..., he is still a good actor who is fantastic at reciting (15^th century French poet Francois) Villon.”

The Jewish federation of communities Mazsihisz asked the prosecutor to look into the incident and hold guilty parties accountable. Lazlo Habis, the mayor of Eger, has also launched an investigation into the meeting of the committee of culture and tourism.

It is thought that animosity towards Szekhelyi dates back to 2005, when he wrote a parody of the Hungarian national anthem and serving right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which was not well-received by many.