Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister: Survival of ethnic Hungarians abroad dependent on progress in autonomy

Budapest, March 20 (MTI) – The survival of ethnic Hungarian communities abroad depends on their ability to make progress towards autonomy, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said in Budapest on Monday.

Speaking at a presentation of the latest volumes of the publication entitled Minority Rights, Interest Representation, Autonomy, Semjén said autonomy was both a goal and a vision for the future for ethnic Hungarians. He said Hungarians living beyond the border must never abandon their demands for autonomy.

Ethnic Hungarians’ ability to enforce their interests depends on the successes of ethnic Hungarian political parties, Semjén said. He argued that Hungarian interests could only be defended abroad if such Hungarian parties have representation in the given country’s parliament, at the local government level or if they take on roles within the government.