Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-02-03-Speech-2-435"
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"en.20090203.23.2-435"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, more than 45 million people belonging to 57 different minorities live in the European Union and in the other European countries. Today, when the ghost of racism is haunting Europe, when the chauvinism of the majority in nation states is visibly growing to frightening dimensions throughout Central and Eastern Europe, we can no longer sweep minority policies under the carpet. As we have heard – from the Commissioner as well – the EU does not yet have a set of regulations on the protection of the identity of minorities that applies to all Member States. The question of minorities falls within the competence of the Member States, and therefore these communities must, for the most part, be satisfied with whatever they can negotiate with their own governments. The total number of citizens in the Central and Eastern European Member States who belong to various national, minority communities is significantly greater than in Western Europe, and their problems are also more complex. In order not only for national minorities but also for everyone belonging to what are effectively minority EU nations to feel truly at home in Europe, European legislation must create a legal framework with comprehensive legal norms for the protection of minorities.
We need to create the kind of political structures that do not strive for exclusivity but share areas of competence. As this pattern becomes a reality throughout the European Union, so national minorities will gain in status and obtain new opportunities for the protection of their language and culture. In this regard, the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty is of key importance, for two of its articles, thanks to the work of the Hungarian Government, include the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Acceptance of the Treaty would be a great step forward in the history of the European Union. The current economic crisis is not advantageous to minorities, for it poisons conflicts and gives ground to far-right demagoguery. Europe cannot afford, particularly at this moment in time, to fail to listen to the voices of minorities. It cannot abandon minorities at this time of crisis."@en1
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