The 14th Hungarian Standing Conference hold in Budapest

Budapest, December 3 (MTI) – Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed concern over investigations the Romanian authorities have launched against Hungarian politicians in Transylvania and said there has been a general “reversal” in minority rights for ethnic kin in Romania.

Addressing a plenary session of the 14th Hungarian Standing Conference (MAERT) in Budapest on Thursday, Orban said in connection with minority language use in Romania that the European rights of “our communities” are “being questioned”.

Orban made critical remarks about the “slowdown” in the return of property into church and community ownership in Romania as well as a lack of developments concerning medical university education in Hungarian language. He said the Hungarian government regrets that Romania has pursued a policy over the past few years which did not seek cooperation with Budapest. Hungary has demonstrated respect to both the Romanian people and its elected politicians, he said, adding that Hungary is following developments in the country “with hope”.

On the subject of Slovakia, Orban said after no ethnic Hungarian party had made it into Slovak Parliament, Hungary aimed to forge a “very close” relationship with Slovakia along economic cooperation, which is hoped to help Hungarians living there. Economic achievements are clear, Orban said, mentioning the planned new Danube bridge connecting Komarom and Komarno (Revkomarom) as an example. “Slovak-Hungarian relations have not been this balanced for a long time,” he said.

On Transcarpathia, in western Ukraine, Orban said he welcomed the end of divisions and the start of cooperation among Hungarians living there.

As regards Vojvodina in north Serbia, Orban said building relations has been going in the right directions for years and Hungary’s policy for Hungarian communities abroad has no interest in seeing any breaks in the unity that has formed there.