Human resources minister: Thinking should encompass unified Carpathian basin

The overwhelming majority of young Hungarians in the world regard themselves as part of the Hungarian nation, and this is why the government must also think in terms of a unified Carpathian Basin area, Zoltán Balog, the minister of human resources, said at the 28th Baile Tusnad (Tusnádfürdő) summer university, in central Romania, on Thursday.

Speaking as part of a podium discussion, Balog referred to a survey of the region showing that 8,000 Hungarians from the homeland and 4,000 ethnic Hungarians abroad lived alike and their views of the world were similar.

Almost 82 percent of ethnic Hungarians regard themselves as belonging to a unified Hungarian nation, he said.

The government is devoting 17 billion forints (EUR 55.5m) to a programme to build kindergartens beyond the country’s borders, he noted, adding that there are 340 Hungarian-language kindergartens as opposed to 719 schools, so this deficit must be addressed.

The minister also referred to the government’s goal of getting school kids in Hungary to visit their peers beyond the border. While 12,000 did so in 2013, this figure has risen to 45,000 in 2017, he said.

Featured image: MTI

Source: MTI