State Secretary for National Policy Árpád János Potápi stressed the importance of the establishment of a uniform Hungarian media space at the 1st Carpathian Basin Hungarian Media Conference on Thursday in Visegrád.

“We would also like to unite the nation in this manner”, the  State Secretary for National Policy said.

In this spirit, he said that in his view it is extremely important to reinforce cross-border Hungarian media throughout the Carpathian Basin. He also mentioned the salary supplements provided to people working in the media, in a similar manner to those being provided to healthcare workers,  doctors and teachers.

He pointed out that the Pannon RTV television station has received a new headquarters in Vojvodina, Serbia; similar development projects have been realised in Ungvár (Uzhhorod, Ukraine), and Hungarian media outlets in Upper Hungary (Slovakia) have also been receiving funding for the past 2-3 years. Development projects are also underway in Transylvania (Romania), he added.

The State Secretary indicated that the Hungarian Government has no plans to “let go of the hands” of cross-border Hungarian media outlets in future, and the development projects will be continuing. He stressed that if modernisation doesn’t take place, then cross-border Hungarians will not be listening to the Hungarian radio or television stations, but will switch over to the stations provided by the majority population. This is one of the reasons why it is important that there should exist a modern media network that is operated in a suitable manner, he underlined.

In his lecture, Árpád János Potápi cited reinforcing the Hungarian identity, providing support to Hungarian families, and the realisation of economic development goals as priority tasks for the period leading up to 2022.

He pointed out that a radical change in national policy took place after 2010; the framework system and legislative background was established, after which from 2014, thanks to Hungary gaining economic strength, a never before seen level of development programmes were able to be launched and hundreds of development projects were successfully realised.

We are in a “lucky situation” in which, in addition to reinforcing identity, the Hungarian Government is also in a position to fund cross-border Hungarian communities and families”, Mr. Potápi said, adding that the Government would like a uniform Carpathian Basin space to be established within every field.

He highlighted the fact that good progress is being made with relation to the realisation of this year’s thematic year, the Year of Cross-Border Hungarian Children, one novelty being the fact that Hargita Count in Transylvania has joined the programme with a contribution of the equivalent of 360 million forints (EUR 1.12 million) in Romanian lei. Some 6600 baby packs have been distributed or are in the process of being distributed, he told those present, stressing that “The keys to the continued existence of a Hungarian future are children”.

He also mentioned that the realisation of the programmes of 5000 cross-border Hungarian institutions are being facilitated with 2700 tenders within the framework of the Nationally Important Institution programme.

The State Secretary also reported on the fact that programmes are being realised within the field of education from nursery school to higher education. The goal is for all Hungarian children to be able to attend a Hungarian nursery school, and the vast majority of those who choose a Hungarian nursery school will go on to attend Hungarian schools.

A total of 225 scholarship students are taking part in the Kőrösi Csoma Programme for cross-border Hungarians and the Petőfi Sándor Programme, which supports the Hungarian diaspora overseas, and the programmes are present in 240 communities all over the world.

Mr. Potápi spoke about the fact that 50 thousand Hungarians have become part of the Hungarian nation from a public law perspective to date. The State Secretary said he expects a few hundred thousand more new Hungarian citizens to swear their oaths within the framework of the naturalisation programme.

He also mentioned that 300 thousand Hungarian students have had the opportunity to visit cross-border territories so far within the framework of the Határtalanul! (Borderless!) programme, and the Government is currently working on modernising the programme.

Ministerial Commissioner for National Policy Péter Szilágyi spoke about the fact that there are some 2.5 million Hungarians living outside the Carpathian Basin, and that by the end of the 20th century the Hungarians had become a global nation.

With relation to diaspora policy, he highlighted the establishment of the Hungarian Diaspora Council, which is one of the most important forums for Hungarian-Hungarian dialogue in addition to the Hungarian Permanent Conference (MÁÉRT). In 2018, 87 invited and 21 observer organisations already took part in the Council’s session. Several new programmes have also been launched for the diaspora and the document entitled Hungarian Diaspora Strategy Directions was adopted in 2016.

Representatives of the Hungarian diaspora often voice their opinions with relation to issues that affect the Hungarian peoples of the Carpathian Basin, the Ministerial Commissioner pointed out.

He also spoke about the Meeting of Weekend Hungarian Schools, which was organised for the second time this year: there are some 200 institutions of this kind and their operation is becoming increasingly important.

The Ministerial Commissioner reported on the fact that 620 tender applications were submitted for the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Programme this year, the selection of participants has been completed and funding is being provided for trips abroad by 150 scholarship students. 75 scholarship students will be taking part in the Petőfi Sándor Programme.

Summer camps in the Carpathian Basin are being organised for 1000 young people in cooperation with the Rákóczi Association, he told those present, also mentioning the high level of funding being provided to the scout movement.

Mr. Szilágyi also reported on the fact that 300 thousand volumes of books and documents have been brought home so far within the framework of the Mikes Kelemen Programme, and about the fact that a regional diaspora meeting has been held by all major Hungarian communities. “All Hungarian diaspora communities feel that the mother country has stretched out its hand towards them and is paying them a never before seen level of attention”, the Ministerial Commissioner said. He indicated that the Ministry plans to hold a survey among diaspora organisations this summer.

Head of Danube Media Servicing Non-profit Co’s chief editorial office for minorities and the diaspora Frigyes Varju spoke about the fact that public television operates according to the principle of one nation, one television station. What is happening in Kassa (Košice, Slovakia), Ungvár (Uzhhorod, Ukraine), Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca, Romania) and Szabadka (Subotica, Serbia) is all equally important to us, he stated, adding that Hungarian public media has a large network of reporters operating in all of the countries of the Carpathian Basin, producing some 4000 news reports every year. Cross-border Hungarian communities are given the opportunity to appear across the whole newsfeed, he indicated.

Some 180 journalists are taking part in the three-day media conference, which is being organised with the aim of it becoming an annual occurrence, including 150 cross-border Hungarian reporters from all over the Carpathian basin.

(MTI)