The Hungarian Government seeks to integrate, rather than assimilate, the national minorities living in Hungary, State Secretary for National Policy Árpád János Potápi highlighted on Thursday in Budapest.
The State Secretary pointed out on the closing day of the two-day conference of the Research Institute for National Strategy: it is their intention to ensure that the mosaics of national minorities should integrate into the fabric of the entire Hungarian nation and that together they should constitute the whole picture. At the same time, it is necessary to make every effort that these pieces should not lose their own shapes and shades of colour. The common past has taught us, among other things, that if “we are able to appreciate the national minorities living with us, we are able to achieve outstanding results together”, and our national and ethnic minorities will stand at the vanguard of the cause of the Hungarian community, the State Secretary said who welcomed the representatives of the 13 national minorities in their mother tongues.
He remarked: at the same time, there were periods in Hungarian history when external and internal forces attempted to make us believe that our fellow-countrymen forming part of other national communities are our enemies. He also said: at present, 13 national advocates are able to make their voices heard in the Hungarian Parliament on issues concerning their communities, and may present legislative amendments regarding cases which are important for the minorities they represent. Ever since the introduction of the advocacy system, a number of positive comments have been received from foreign politicians and experts. Mr Potápi sincerely hopes that this means: we have succeeded in creating a model which promotes the preservation of the identities of national minorities. He also sincerely hopes that national minorities “will be able to send actual Members of Parliament to the legislature on the occasion of the next elections”.
The State Secretary highlighted: they believe that, with the promotion of the cause of national minorities in Hungary and the provision of genuine, guaranteed national minority rights, they may set an example which neighbouring countries may see fit to follow in their relations with Hungarian minorities. The Hungarian Government has every reason to expect the majority nations to give the Hungarians beyond the borders the respect and rights which are their due, he said. He added: they would like Hungarians beyond the borders to enjoy a broad spectrum of rights in their native land, wherever that may be, that is in proportion to their numbers, similar to those enjoyed by national minorities in Hungary.
They hope that, over time, in all of the neighbouring countries, the policy of assimilation will be replaced with a policy of integration, he said. Mr Potápi remarked: members of the communities themselves can play the greatest role in the preservation of minorities. They have to fight for the rights they are entitled to, and to maintain a framework of survival. He also said: national minorities fought for centuries for the rights which those who have recently arrived in Europe with the latest flow of migration are granted without a struggle. We must point out also in the interest of protecting these rights: it is a common interest of the Hungarian people and national minorities to ensure that the ethnic makeup that has evolved during the course of centuries cannot be changed in consequence of measures imposed on us.
Jenő Szász, President of the research institute said: it is important to showcase the good example set in Hungary to the outer world in the interest of Hungarian communities beyond the borders. He highlighted: our common future must be built on the foundations of our common past and common roots. As regards the latest modern-age challenges of Europe, our Christian roots are particularly important, he added. Mr Szász believes that everyone must serve their communities with responsibility and loyalty, and must hand them down to their grandchildren enriched.
Tamás Turgyán, spokesperson for the Armenian community believes “it is absolutely essential” for the different communities not to plan their future separately, but together, and in his view, this work has already begun.