Tamás Menczer: Every Hungarian is responsible for every Hungarian

“Every Hungarian is responsible for every Hungarian; Transcarpathia and the local Hungarians there can always count on the support of our government,” announced Tamás Menczer, Minister of State for Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, at the opening of the academic year on Friday at the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education.

“The ceremony, held in the Reformed church of Berehove (Beregszász), initiated 475 new students. There were more applications than ever before for the school. This proves that the popularity of the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education is unbroken,” said Tamás Menczer.

Together we wait and hope for peace and we do everything we can to achieve this, he said, thanking the school’s leadership and all its employees for preserving the school’s exceptionally high standard of education.

Despite the war raging in their country, these students can continue studying in this school,

– he added.

Tamás Menczer also highlighted that aside from education, the school had a role in supporting the refugees: feeding them, housing them and providing humanitarian aid.

The aim of the Hungarian government, based on national policy guidelines, is to help strengthen Hungarian national identity, preserve the cultural and linguistic values of all Hungarians, and support the livelihood of Hungarians living in their homelands outside of Hungary’s borders,

– announced the Minister of State for Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Tamás Menczer also reminded that Hungary was the first to recognize Ukraine’s independence and establish diplomatic relations. He emphasized that preserving and strengthening good diplomatic and neighbourly relations with Ukraine is still very important for Hungary.

He reminded that,

with the current war in Ukraine, Hungary is implementing its largest ever humanitarian aid actions.

Aside from continuously delivering aid, Hungary is supporting refugees in finding work and schooling for their children who intend to stay in Hungary for the long term.

“It is in Hungary’s interest that the war end as soon as possible and that a stable, developing, and peaceful Ukraine ensure legal security for all of its citizens, regardless of ethnicity or mother tongue. We must do everything we can to reach a cease-fire and to end the war as soon as possible,” said the Minister. According to him, Transcarpathia plays the role of a bridge that has the potential to enable close relations between the two countries.

Standing up for the rights of the Transcarpathian native Hungarian community is our legal and heartfelt duty, and we have indicated this when Ukraine was granted EU candidate status,

– he affirmed. The Minister added that Hungary trusts that Ukraine wants and knows how to fulfill the necessary and expected obligations and conditions.

Photo: Tamás Menczer (Photo: MTI/Nemes János)