On Tuesday at a press conference held in Tatabánya State Secretary Árpád János Potápi said that donations worth HUF 280 million reached those in need as a result of the donation collection campaign launched by the State Secretariat for National Policy in aid of Hungarian communities in Transcarpathia.

He added that the actual amount of the donations may have been even higher as in a number of instances twin localities and civil organisations also provided assistance for the Hungarians living in Transcarpathia. The State Secretary for National Policy of the Prime Minister’s Office highlighted that the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia and its organisations played a key role in forwarding the donations to their intended destination, while Hungarian communities living in the Carpathian Basin and Hungarian diaspora communities, too, mobilised themselves in order to help the Hungarian community which is in the most difficult situation at present.

Mr Potápi said that the Hungarian Government keeps track of developments in the region, and provides ongoing assistance to help the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia to remain in their native land. He also mentioned that Transcarpathian children started learning Hungarian in large numbers at the beginning of this school year, and Hungarian became the second most popular foreign language in schools.

György Popovics (Fidesz-KDNP), President of the Komárom-Esztergom County Assembly told the press that the county municipality involved the economic interest representations which entered into cooperation agreements with them, the county chambers of commerce and the regional business federations in the donation campaign, and as a result, they collected donations worth HUF 2.7 million.

The organisers bought a water tanker from the donations in order to supply the Körösmező kindergarten with healthy drinking water, and also put together donations of fire wood and foodstuffs for the needy.

(Prime Minister's Office)