On Monday morning, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received Head of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ) István Pásztor. The topics for discussion were current national policy issues and the detailed economic and regional development programmes that were prepared to the level of action plans by a specialist team from VMSZ, and which Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has undertaken to support.
The Prime Minister announced in February 2014 that the Hungarian government is ready to support the programme aimed at improving the situation of that part of the Hungarian nation living in Vojvodina, as it is not only backed by high quality professional work, but also by VMSZ – a party with significant advocacy powers.
According to information received from Press Chief of the Prime Minister’s Office Bertalan Havasi, the two politicians have agreed on the programme’s details, as a result of which detailed discussions on the economic and regional development programme can commence next week in Subotica/ Szabadka with the participation of the Ministry for National Development.
According to Mr. Havasi, Mr. Pásztor has thanked the Prime Minister for providing priority support for the public and higher education scholarship system, and for backing folklore and language use affairs. He pointed out that the Hungarian National Council is at the beginning of a four-year cycle, based on which – thanks to the project funding of hundreds of millions of forints received from the kin-state – the renovated architectural heritage of the Vojvodina Hungarians may become an important tourist destination. This may bring about the tourist development of rural areas and villages.
At the meeting, special attention was paid to the upcoming leadership election general assembly of the VMSZ, as its outcome may influence the continuation of the jointly launched programmes. Both politicians stated that, on their own, the programmes cannot put a halt to general crisis tendencies, but when giving account of the meeting Mr. Havasi said that they can provide a “safety-net” for the Hungarian community of Vojvodina in the accelerated, intense political situation, and a foothold for keeping their homeland.
(MTI/Prime Minister's Office)
