Hungarian MPs of Carpathian Basin meet in Budapest

Relations among Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin have been better and more successful over the past four years than at any other point in the last century, Parliamentary Speaker László Kövér said opening the plenary session of the Hungarian Parliamentary Assembly of the Carpathian Basin (KMKF) in Budapest on Friday.

Even the opposition parties that have “psychologically and politically moved on from the era of post-communism” view Hungarian communities beyond the border and now see them as assets, just as Hungary’s ruling parties do, Kövér said.

The speaker said that over the past four years, ethnic Hungarian political groups have developed new forms of cooperation with each other. During this period, central and eastern European countries also gradually formed a new kind of cooperation, Kövér said.

“The novelty of this new relationship is rooted in the psychological and political recognition that we, the peoples of this region will not be anyone’s servants — of either our western or eastern friends,” he added.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told the meeting that the core principle of the government’s policy for Hungarian communities beyond the border was that it was not the government’s job to say what is good for them but it was for the communities to tell the government what is in their interests.

The minister said that when deciding on and developing its related strategy, the government has four principles in mind.

Hungarian communities beyond the borders should have good relations between their birthplace and the motherland, and the Hungarian government, parliament and politicians should help to strengthen Hungarian communities beyond the borders where they live. They should be seen as a resource, he said, adding that if they need protection, the government should resort to mobilising international pressure.