Government doubles funds for national minorities

Budapest, February 2 (MTI) – Hungary has doubled its support for national and ethnic minorities over the past five years, the deputy state secretary for ties with minorities and civil society said.

The funds earmarked for the minorities increased from 4 billion forints (EUR 12.9m) in 2010 to 8 billion by 2015, Attila Fülöp told a press conference in Gyula, the centre of the ethnic Romanian minority in south-eastern Hungary, on Tuesday.

Accordingly, support for the Romanian minority has also increased, from 137 million forints to 270 million, he said.

Trajan Kreszta, spokesman for the Romanian minority, praised good relations with the government officials. He noted that the introduction of the spokesman’s institution in 2014 enabled the minorities to comment on bills, take part in the whole process of legislation and even initiate laws.

Kreszta said the Romanian minority’s national self-government can act as a bridge in improving ties between the two nations.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters