Romanian PM Calls For Romanian Minority Representation In Hungarian Parliament

The Romanian community in Hungary should be granted representation in Parliament, while instances of minorities being represented by people who do not even know that group’s language should be eliminated, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said.

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Boc said these requests were passed on to Hungary's president, Laszlo Solyom, in a meeting of Central and Eastern Europe state and cabinet leaders in Budapest. The Romanian prime minister said both sides agreed that national minorities should be granted representation as soon as possible.

Boc said he also pointed out cases of minorities represented in local or central authorities by people who do not belong to the community or speak the language, and asked Hungary to find legal ways to eliminate this phenomenon.

Boc also said a joint meeting of the Romanian and Hungarian governments will be held soon, most likely this autumn.

The Romanian side's request comes as the ruling coalition (made up of the Democratic-Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania) aims to approve the draft law on the status of national minorities in the Parliament's current session. The law was developed by the Tariceanu Cabinet (2004-2008) and has been under Parliament debate for five years.

According to Hungary's most recent census, of 2001, Romanians make up 0.1% of the total population - 8,482 people.

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