In Parliament on Wednesday Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Hungarian Communities Abroad Zsolt Semjén received 55 Hungarian children from Transcarpathia. Following the reception, he urged Hungarians from Transcarpathia to assume Hungarian citizenship.

The Deputy Prime Minister told journalists that all Transcarpathian Hungarians have the right to Hungarian citizenship. They should acquire it; this is an opportunity which will expand the world for them as EU citizens, he said, adding that if they have Hungarian passports they will be safe.

Mr. Semjén explained that the number of citizenship requests has surpassed 750,000, more than 700,000 people have taken the citizenship oath, and it is expected that the number of requests will reach 800,000 by the end of the year.

(Prime Minister's Office)