At his Monday pre-appointment hearing before Parliament’s Cultural Committee, Miklós Kásler, ministerial candidate of the Ministry of Human Capacities described the preservation and fostering of the fundamental values of Hungarian and universal culture as one of the most important missions of cultural administration. After the hearing the majority of the committee supported the candidate’s appointment.

At his hearing Mr Kásler said his programme focuses on fundamental values such as the survival of the nation, the protection of national sovereignty, and the preservation and development of national, Christian and value-based culture.

He stressed one of the underlying conditions is the improvement of the demographic situation and its reversal in the long run, along with the reinforcement of workfare society which must be built on the individual’s freedom and responsibility.

Mr Kásler highlighted it is important that culture and education showcase the spiritual and religious store of learning derived from the Hungarian people’s history of 1,100 years, that Hungarian culture should elevate and add to European cultural values and that it should also serve as an example for other nations.

According to the ministerial candidate, culture contributes to enabling people to lead a more beautiful life, in addition to a better life, and strengthens communities and Hungarian identity. Also for this reason it is essential that everyone should have equal access to culture, he stated.

Mr Kásler pointed out that 56 major cultural projects had started recently, from among which he mentioned the Liget Budapest project and the refurbishment and development of the Opera House and the National Museum. He also highlighted that as part of the Csoóri Sándor Programme HUF 5 billion is allocated to Hungarian folk culture, the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA) provides endowments for a great many artists and 15 scholarships are available for promoting the initial phases of the careers of artists.

According to the ministerial candidate, sport is an important part of Hungarian identity which contributes to the unity of families, communities and the nation, and also plays a major role in illness prevention, while it contributes to an increased life expectancy rate as well.

The goal of the government is to ensure that every child should have the possibility to do sports and every adult should exercise, and that they should be able to do so in appropriate facilities, he observed.

Most of the questions from members of the committee concerned education, and therefore the ministerial candidate outlined his concept in his answer.

In the context of the criticisms levelled, Mr Kásler stressed the importance of dialogue, and promised to carefully consider every opinion and comment presented at the hearing.

The world is beautiful if it is diverse, if a variety of different values are presented equally in education, culture and the arts, he highlighted, adding that there is no doubt that Hungarian culture is European culture and has always derived inspiration from a great many sources.

The Cultural Committee accepted Mr Kásler’s ministerial appointment with 8 votes for and 6 against.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)