Minority rights protection was a central topic at the annual Hungarian Gombaszög Summer Youth Camp in Slovakia, where Ákos Horony, Slovakia’s Commissioner for Minority Affairs, and Erzsébet Sándor Szalayné, Ombudsman for the Rights of National Minorities in Hungary and expert of the Council of Europe spoke. 

Szalayné outlined the duties and powers of the deputy ombudsman for nationalities, emphasizing her role in monitoring the enforcement of the rights of nationalities living in Hungary. She explained the international tools available for the protection of minority rights, particularly those within the framework of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe.

Horony presented the role of the government commissioner in public administration, highlighting the differences in the powers of the Roma affairs commissioner and the minority affairs commissioner. He emphasized that these positions and their powers are now enshrined in law. He also addressed issues such as discrimination against minorities, census data, and Slovak-Hungarian relations.

The discussion also touched upon the situation of Russian-speaking minorities, indigenous minorities in Central Europe, and the Beneš Decrees.

Source: Felvidék.ma

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