Hungarian language is a powerful means for preserving the nation, emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén, on Tuesday, in Budapest at the opening of ELTE university’s Hungarian Summer University for the Carpathian Basin. Péter Szijjártó, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in his address that the Government launches a HUF 300 billion infrastructure development program in the Carpathian Basin with the aim of doubling the number of border crossing points along the Hungarian borders by 2020.

Mr Semjén emphasised in his speech that the Hungarian language is of key importance both for each individual and for the nation as a whole, and it is evident since the reform age that the strength of the Hungarian nation and the evolvement of the Hungarian language are closely related to each other.

No matter to which country we were thrown, torn apart, by the storm of history, we speak the same language, have the same cultural background, belong to the same nation and share the same fate, he said. Everybody has their task to accomplish for the development of the nation, he said. The Hungarian State’s duty and objective is to ensure that the Hungarian nation will survive and the quality of life of its people will improve.

Mr Semjén spoke about the measures taken for uniting the nation by means of public law, such as the opportunity to gain citizenship and various forms of support. This, however, is only a framework that may come to life only if we can interlace the entire Carpathian Basin with lots of personal relationships and with millions of root-hairs, he said.

The summer university, held for the twentieth time, is a good opportunity to cultivate the Hungarian language, build up personal relationships and to strengthen the survival capacity of the Hungarian nation, emphasized the deputy prime minister, also adding that the resources necessary for the organization of the program will be made available as before.

Mr Szijjártó said at the opening event that the Hungarian government will launch a HUF 300 billion infrastructure development program in the Carpathian Basin with the aim of doubling the number of border crossing points along the Hungarian borders by 2020.

He said that currently we have 93 border checkpoints where we can enter neighbouring countries. The objective is to establish 100 new border crossing points during the next six and a half years. Political and funding agreements have already been concluded for fifty of them, the state secretary added.

He emphasized that the economic cooperation of border regions and the entire Carpathian Basin will be facilitated by the addition of new border crossing points.

He also noted in relation to this subject that Central Europe, and within that the Carpathian Basin, plays a crucial role in the reinforcement of Europe, because this region has an excellent chance for becoming the driving force behind the growth of the whole continent. And this requires reinforced economic cooperation in the Carpathian Basin, said Mr Szijjártó.

Róbert Répássy, State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice explained in his address – given on behalf of Minister of Justice László Trócsányi – that the new Ministry of Justice will be responsible for strengthening the constitutional traditions that are so important for the nation, and "national togetherness is part of our constitutional identity". This summer university is another opportunity to reinforce the feeling of togetherness as a constitutional tradition, he added, emphasizing that national togetherness is an objective that will always be supported by the Hungarian State.

Deputy Major Gábor Bagdy – who greeted the participants on behalf of mayor István Tarlós – said that the capital’s management is glad to see that this program has become a tradition by now, offering an opportunity for young people from beyond the borders to receive some training. Budapest is the capital of the nation, and our nation includes those bodies of the nation from where the students of this summer university arrive, he added.

Deputy Major Tamás Szentes explained how important the heritage and tradition represented by Hungarian institutions of higher education on both sides of the border are.

Árpád Gyetvai, chief political advisor of the Ministry of Human Resources – who addressed the audience on behalf of László Palkovics, State Secretary for higher education – pointed out: it would be good to see that student mobility becomes two-way in the future. He also emphasized how important lecturer exchange programs and the strengthening of off-site trainings are.

Barna Mezey, the rector of ELTE university emphasized: the summer university is held for the twentieth time, so the program has become part of a great, distinguished tradition. ELTE creates dominant values and this achievement is due to their presence in the international arena as well as to their commitment to national values, he said, declaring that the summer university combines these two things. The rector thought it was important to provide support for those institutions of the Carpathian Basin which require the presence and contribution of Hungarian lecturers and researchers.
He noted that during the current summer university lectures will be given about human, scientific and jurisprudential subjects, as well as in the IT section.

The summer university is held in the period of July 8-13. Organizers wish to provide Hungarian young people from beyond the borders of Hungary with an opportunity to train themselves in their parent country in their native language. According to information disclosed by the institution, this year’s programs will be attended by 155 people. The number of participants has been increasing year by year; there was a twenty five percent growth this year compared to last year. There are 49 participants from Romania, 26 from Ukraine, 23 from Serbia, 3 from Slovakia and one student each from Croatia, Poland and the United States.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)