A prominent Hungarian actor has started legal proceedings after he was described as a "filthy Jew" by a politician from the right-wing Fidesz party.

Film star Jozsef Szekhelyi was also disparaged for sympathising with left-wing politics by a politician who sits on the council of the northern town of Eger.

The slur was made last September during a Tourism and Culture Commission meeting and caught on tape but only came to light earlier this month. This week it was also claimed that the Jewish actor was barred from the Eger cultural festival because "he was not welcome by the inhabitants of the city".

The Hungarian Jewish Faith alliance has now filed an official complaint to the public prosecutor's office on Mr Szekhelyi's behalf.

Eger's mayor, Laszlo Habis, will also investigate the incident.

Last week Israel's envoy in Hungary pulled out of a scheduled visit to Eger in response to the comments.