On 17 May, Deputy Minister of State for Church, Civil Society and Nationality Affairs Csaba Latorcai had talks in Nagyvárad/ Oradea with the German Minister of the Interior Christoph Bergner. Both sides agreed that Germans in Hungary play an essential, bridge-building role in relations between the two countries.

Mr. Latorcai said that nationalities living in Hungary are extremely important to the Hungarian government, and it sees the country’s centuries-old diversity as being an extraordinary asset.

The Deputy Minister of State drew attention to the fact that the Hungarian parliament had adopted a new Act on nationalities in December 2011, linked to Hungary’s new Fundamental Law and as a result of wide-ranging consultations. This provides stronger guarantees of security and wider rights to nationalities living in Hungary. In addition to this, the new Act on Parliamentary Elections provides the opportunity for representatives of nationalities to win seats in the Hungarian parliament. If a representative cannot gain a seat through the preferential quota, there is a possibility to delegate a spokesperson for that nationality.

The Office of the Minister of State for Church, Civil Society and Nationality Affairs maintains close and constructive links with nationalities living in Hungary, representing their interests at the highest level possible and protecting their rights. Proof of this is that in several specific cases it has provided assistance in matters affecting nationalities (for example, the right to the use of names for nationality self-governments, nursery provision and EU competitive tenders). Mr. Latorcai said that it had succeeded in providing a satisfactory outcome for the German theatre in the Hungarian town of Szekszárd, and that soon the same will occur for the German school in the town of Baja.

Christoph Bergner, who oversees emigration and national minorities’ affairs and those of federated states, said that Germans in Hungary play an outstanding role in relations between Hungary and Germany, and Hungary and the rest of Europe. He described as ‘reassuring’ the guarantees provided by the new Act on nationalities to nationalities in Hungary – including Germans.

(kormany.hu)