The Hungarian people can never give up being treated as equal partners around the world, Judit Varga, Minister of State for EU Relations at the Prime Minister’s Office underlined in her commemorative speech which she delivered in Szabadka (Subotica – Vojvodina, Serbia) on Friday.

At the central commemoration held on the occasion of the anniversary of the 1848-1849 revolution and freedom fight, the Minister of State highlighted that Hungary respects states which hold views different from its own and does not wish to interfere in what others do in their own native land, but at the same time it expects to be allowed to decide itself on issues that fall within national competence.

“During its existence of a thousand years, Hungary has always been an integral part of the European value community, and will remain so also in the future. The history of our country is closely connected to the European identity, we have been members of the family of Christian European peoples for a thousand years. We belong to Europe, this is beyond dispute, even if there are some who try to call this into question. Also according to our national avowal laid down in our Fundamental Law, we are proud that our people has over the centuries defended Europe in a series of struggles and enriched Europe’s common values with its talent and diligence. We also believe that our national culture is a rich contribution to the diversity of European unity,” the Minister of State detailed. She stressed that for this reason it is important that nations respect one another’s diversity and differentness, and that this mutual respect constitute the foundations for their cooperation for the community as even according to the European Union’s motto we are ‘united in diversity’.

We must remember that we can only be free if we are brave enough to fight for our truth, the politician underlined. However, national culture, customs and values have become the targets of ridicule and attacks, she said. The Minister of State highlighted that just as in 1848, also today the Hungarian people stand up for their independence with words of reason, and call people’s attention to the fact that “our security, our freedom and our Christian culture are in danger”.

She said “in 1848 they unleashed upon us Jelacic and the Russian troops in order to silence us, while today they attempt to discipline Member States which refuse to toe the line with Brussels procedures”.

Regarding the European parliamentary (EP) elections due to be held in May, she said “we all sense that the EU is in the midst of a value crisis. While earlier there was division on economic and social issues, today the dividing line is emerging increasingly in ideological questions”. She highlighted that we must decide what kind of a Europe we would like. We must decide whether we wish to preserve our roots, our security, our national identity and our sovereignty, she added.

István Pásztor, President of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians also drew attention to the fact that being a European citizen is not the same as being a citizen of the European Union. “We Hungarians in Vojvodina are among those Europeans to whom this applies. At the same time, belonging to our nation creates a dual situation for us because we do also belong to the EU based on our national affiliation, if not by virtue of the native land we were born in”.

The president of the largest party in Vojvodina said “for us it is absolutely clear that we can only support a Hungarian policy which sees the nation as a whole, fosters good relations with its neighbours, and builds a European Union which is based on equality, independence and common action, and which will have room also for us some day. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is the symbol of this policy. The issues which also dominate the European scene by virtue of Viktor Orbán’s governance and politics and which place the individual – and through that the Hungarian people – at the centre of the European parliamentary election campaign are not topical because of him, but they are out there, before the wider public because of him.”

He underlined that the Hungarians of Vojvodina support “a Hungarian policy which represents the Hungarian nation as a whole, appreciates the signs of the times, relies on historical experiences and is based on positive neighbourly relations” because “this alone makes us Hungarians living in a minority capable of enforcing our interests in a Europe which is undergoing a process of realignment and in a Serbia – finding itself at the mercy of the EU – which has long been unfairly and undeservedly kept in the hallway of membership.”

(MTI)