The Strategy, which involves eight countries, utilizes natural and geographical advantages, with special regard to water management and the rural development related cooperation between Hungarian communities – stated Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas at the Hungarian Parliament, where the agreement entitled "Rural Development Cross-Border Cooperation with Hungarian Peoples in the Carpathian Basin" was ceremoniously signed.
The document was signed by Sándor Fazekas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without portfolio responsible for national policy Zsolt Semjén, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh, and Deputy Speaker of Parliament István Jakab, as well as by representatives of the Hungarian farmers’ communities of Slovakia, Ukraine, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria.
The signatories of the agreement recommend that governments work together to develop a long-term Carpathian Basin development strategy to solve their common problems. The agreement is an open one; further organisations who agree with the contents of the documents may join the signatories at any time in the future.
In his opening speech, Sándor Fazekas reminded that the majority of Hungarian peoples within the Carpathian Basin live in rural communities,thus their survival – especially in areas outside Hungary – is greatly dependent on the state of villages, small towns, the landscape and of agriculture.
During the elaboration of the National Rural Strategy, the Ministry of Rural Development initiated a series of consultation meetings with the representatives of Hungarian communities living outside the country, to develop a joint programme for the development of rural areas. The series of discussions closes with the signing of this agreement concluded with the representatives Hungarian peoples living outside our borders.
The basis of the document is the implementation plan of the National Rural Strategy, the Ignác Darányi Plan, an important part of which is the Rural Development Cross-Border Cooperation with Hungarian Peoples in the Carpathian Basin programme, completed and made public at the ceremony.
"It is my firm belief that the programme is in line with the interests of Hungarians beyond the borders, the neighbouring states within the Carpathian Basin, and the European Union", said Sándor Fazekas.
The Minister also expressed his hope that the signing of the agreement would mean a new chapter in rural development cooperation of the Hungarian peoples of the Carpathian Basin, and that we may be one important step closer to the cross-border economic unification of the Hungarian people.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without portfolio responsible for national policy Zsolt Semjén explained that in his view, the harmonization of the strategies of each specific field for the whole of the Carpathian Basin is a way towards a normal state of affairs. Not only the Hungarians living outside the country can benefit from the cooperation programmes , but it may create the opportunity for a better life for among others the Romanians, Ukrainians, Serbs and Slovakians as well.
Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh pointed out that the framework of the Hungarian national polical strategy had been approved and adopted by the Hungarian Permanent Conference. The document recommends that harmonised national policies should be prepared for each sector, and the agreement signed now is a clearly visible materialization of this endeavour. Zsolt Németh stressed that one of the foundations of rural development, the land, not only provides a living, but also freedom and home. He emphasised that agriculture may be a fantastic take-off point for the whole region.
Bishop László Tőkés, Member of the European Parliament, stressed that the Carpathian Basin is one of God's wonderful creations. He welcomed the fact that while we wish to protect this region from destruction, we also have constructive proposals. He emphasised the importance of the rural development agreement in improving the often impossible situation of Hungarian peoples outside the country, and urged cooperation on every other area of life.
(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)