We recommend to complement the draft Recommendations in order to avoid the abuse of
declaration on minority status for gaining benefits (in Hungary known as "ethno-business"). A
good solution would be the joint evaluation of the declarations with census data.
As stated in paragraph 25 of the Draft Recommendations, education is a key aspect of
improving the economic participation of minorities, meanwhile from the aspect of
self-identification of minorities the education, in mother-tongue is indispensable. We
recommend to add to paragraph 25 of the Draft Recommendations that the state-financed
vocational and higher education in mother-tongue constitutes a positive trend in the field of
assuring real equality.
Finally, it should be noted that with regard to the importance of the Draft Recommendations
Hungary, as member state and (the president) of the EU (in the first half of 2011), would do .
everything to contribute to the practical interpretation of the regulations concerning minority
protection stipulated in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, also known as the Lisbon
Treaty. Let me also express, that Hungary fully support the work of the I-MC and Ms. Gay
McDougall in that issue, and we are ready to cooperate in the future.