EU Urged to Address National Minority Rights alongside Immigrant Protections

At an EU conference in Budapest, Katalin Szili, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s chief advisor, underscored the urgent need to protect national minorities, stating it is crucial for stability, democracy, and the rule of law.

She observed that the EU’s focus on minority issues often ends after a country’s accession, failing to enforce protections effectively.

I have no problem with legislation for migrants, but we must not forget national minorities,” Szili emphasized.

She pointed to Slovakia’s language laws and Ukrainian policies limiting Hungarian language use as concerning examples, saying, “neither Brussels nor Strasbourg will speak out against these.”

Ukraine and Slovakia’s recent language laws are seen as potentially limiting minority language use. Ukraine’s law marginalizes Hungarian speakers, while Slovakia’s draft amendment may reduce minority rights. Hungarian officials call for consistent EU protections for minority languages across Member States.

Katalin Szili cited citizens’ initiatives like the Minority SafePack, which received strong public support but was dismissed by the EU Commission. Loránt Vincze, MEP and FUEN President, also lamented the EU’s regressive approach to minority rights, advocating for a European framework to uphold consistent protections.

He acknowledged Italy, Slovenia, and Germany as positive models, contrasting them with Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine’s less supportive policies.

Both Szili and Vincze stressed the importance of consistent EU policies on minority protection to ensure long-term stability and integration without assimilation. They argued that a unified framework could reinforce democracy across Member States, creating a more inclusive Europe that values both immigrant and local minority communities.

Via MTI; Featured Image: MTI / Kovács Tamás