More than 850,000 people have availed themselves of the possibility of expedited naturalisation or have been granted citizenship status in the past six years, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said at the press conference held in the summer camp of the Youth Christian Democratic Alliance on Friday in Kisvárda.

As part of expedited naturalisation, 780,000 persons have taken or are taking in the next few days their citizenship oaths, and 70,000 individuals have been granted citizenship status in scattered Hungarian communities, the Christian democratic politician said. He added: 23,000 applications have been refused which amply demonstrates the stringency of the state administration procedure. There will be one million new Hungarian citizens by the end of the term of the government, he announced.

At the press conference held in the presence of representatives of Hungarian communities beyond the borders, Mr Semjén asked naturalised Hungarian nationals who are also Romanian citizens to take part in the parliamentary elections to be held in Romania at the end of the year as expected. He said: some three million Romanian citizens living and working in Europe may vote by mail, and their absence from the vote may detrimentally affect Hungarian representation in Romania.

„As we have become a world nation through no will of our own, it is not indifferent for us what is happening from the respect of the Hungarian communities of the countries around us”, the Deputy Prime Minister said. Mr Semjén repeated that it is important that naturalised Hungarians who are also Romanian citizens and Romanians residing in Hungary should equally cast their votes.

Hunor Kelemen, President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) said at the press conference that, in the wake of the successful municipal elections, it is important to preserve the parliamentary representation of the Hungarians in Transylvania because the strength of local authorities can be doubled with a parliamentary group behind them.

The mail vote system introduced by the Romanian Government is subject to registration, and therefore RMDSZ encourages everyone concerned to register to vote by mail on the Internet in the next few months, Mr Kelemen warned. He added: the technical details of voting will be disclosed to Hungarians who are also Romanian nationals through the media with the aid of the Hungarian Government.

(MTI)