Ignoring Indigenous Minorities Threatens Europe’s Future, Warns Politician

If the European Union does not differentiate between indigenous national communities and immigrant communities, “Europe will be digging its own grave,” said Katalin Szili, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister, at the 34th Bálványos Free Summer University in Baile Tusnad (Tusnádfürdő) on Saturday.

At the roundtable discussion entitled “Europe of National Regions and Communities,” she and Balázs Izsák, President of the Szekler National Council (SZNT), discussed the current status of the European citizens’ initiative launched to protect national regions.

Katalin Szili recalled that the SZNT has been working for more than a decade to ensure that the EU’s cohesion policy recognizes the specific characteristics of national regions and that these regions receive special support. The initiative is nearing completion: the European Commission must decide on it by September 4.

The proposal could be a “stepping stone” to self-government, which would benefit not only Hungarians but all communities concerned. “Europe knows nothing but power,” she stated, adding that this power is represented by the 50 million people living in indigenous communities across the EU.

The government has supported the SZNT’s efforts from the outset, as this is also its constitutional duty, given its responsibility for Hungarians living beyond its borders, she added. She believes that the rise of Szekler Land would be in the interests not only of Romania, but also of Europe.

Szili sharply criticized the European Commission for what she sees as politically motivated rejection of initiatives such as the Minority SafePack, while allocating significant resources to dealing with the consequences of the war in Ukraine, for example. According to the Chief Advisor, the Commission should “act more boldly” and deal with the issues of national regions independent of party politics.

On Friday at the Bálványos Free Summer University, Szili also spoke at a panel discussion entitled “Parliamentary representation of minority rights.” She emphasized that one of the keys to the effective enforcement of minority rights is for the ethnic parties of the community in question to be represented in parliament. “If someone is not sitting at the dinner table, they can easily end up on the menu,” she warned.

Representation alone is not enough, but it is essential, she stressed. She cited Serbia as an example, where indigenous communities, including Hungarians in Vojvodina, can make independent decisions on educational, cultural, and media issues through national councils. However, in addition to the legal framework, community cooperation is also essential, which the Hungarian community in Slovakia has not been able to achieve adequately.

“What happens does not depend solely on the mother country,” she said, referring to the fact that Hungarians in Slovakia did not reach the 5% parliamentary threshold in 2021, partly due to divisions and a lack of strategic cooperation.

She believes the EU should pay just as much attention to the protection of indigenous national communities as it does to gender, racial or religious minorities. The Hungarian Government’s efforts are therefore not only in the interests of Hungarians living beyond the border, but also in the interests of the 50 million people across Europe who live in indigenous communities.