State Report Hungary
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21 May 1999 ACFC/SR(1999)010 REPORT SUBMITTED BY HUNGARY PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 25, PARAGRAPH 1 OF THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES ACFC/SR(1999)010 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 3 PART I...................................................................................................................................... 3 Basic Information about the Country ......................................................................................... 3 Basic Historical Information...................................................................................................... 4 Minority Policy ........................................................................................................................12 Budget Funding for Minorities .................................................................................................14 Government Structures Concerned with Minority Affairs .........................................................17 National and Ethnic Minorities Office ......................................................................................18 Informing the Public on the Protection and Conditions of the Minorities ..................................19 PART II ...................................................................................................................................20 Article 1 ...................................................................................................................................20 Article 2 ...................................................................................................................................23 Article 3 ...................................................................................................................................24 Article 4 ...................................................................................................................................27 Article 5 ...................................................................................................................................37 Article 6 ...................................................................................................................................46 Article 7 ...................................................................................................................................53 Article 8 ...................................................................................................................................58 Article 9 ...................................................................................................................................63 Article 10 .................................................................................................................................69 Article 11 .................................................................................................................................71 Article 12 .................................................................................................................................74 Article 13 .................................................................................................................................90 Article 14 .................................................................................................................................92 Article 15 .................................................................................................................................94 Article 16 ...............................................................................................................................104 Article 17 ...............................................................................................................................105 Article 18 ...............................................................................................................................108 Article 19 ...............................................................................................................................111 Article 20 ...............................................................................................................................111 Article 21 ...............................................................................................................................111 Article 22 ...............................................................................................................................111 Article 23 ...............................................................................................................................111 Article 30 ...............................................................................................................................112 List of Appendixes (not available in electronic format)...........................................................112 * * * 2 ACFC/SR(1999)010 INTRODUCTION On 1 February 1995, Hungary was one of the first countries to sign the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (hereinafter referred to as "the framework Convention"). Hungary ratified the document, which specifies the framework for the European minority protection system, with Parliament Resolution 81/1995 (VII. 6.) OGY and requested the President of the Republic to issue a document of confirmation. In accordance with the provisions of the framework Convention, Hungary has prepared a report concerning the legislative practice intended to implement the principles that are stipulated in the document on the protection of minorities and the measures that have been taken in the interest of the minorities living in Hungary. The Hungarian country report was finalized in the course of discussions with the national-level self-government bodies of the national and ethnic minorities in Hungary. The information provided for the evaluation of the various Articles of the framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities reveals that Hungary's internal legal system contains regulations that ensure broader rights in numerous areas than the framework Convention itself. Hungary is submitting its report on the implementation of the framework Convention (hereinafter referred to as "the report") to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. PART I Basic Information about the Country Hungary has an area of 93,030 square kilometers and a population of somewhat more than 10 million people. It is located in Central Europe and has borders with Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Yugoslavia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest, which has nearly two million inhabitants and is located in north-central Hungary on the two banks of the Danube. The country's administration is divided into 19 counties in addition to the capital. Hungary's population was 10,135,000 people on 1 January 1998. At that time, the country had 3,131 settlements, 2,913 of which were villages and 218 towns. 7.8% of the country's population lives in villages that have less than 1,000 inhabitants, while 30% of the population lives in towns with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The number of deaths has exceeded the number of births for many years, which has resulted in population decline over the past few decades. Hungary bears the signs of a democracy with a secure institutional background. These ensure the rule of law, human rights, and the respect and protection of minorities. Hungary is a parliamentary republic. Members of Parliament are elected for four years, and the Government is appointed for a term of four years as well. The latest parliamentary elections were held in May 1998. Hungary's Constitution (Act XX of 1949, the Constitution of the Republic of Hungary) grants limited presidential powers to the President of the Republic, who is elected by Parliament for five years. 3 ACFC/SR(1999)010 Hungary has been marked by cultural diversity for centuries. There are very few Hungarian families in the country whose ancestry does not include three or four ancestors from a different national or ethnic community. This is an enormous, centuries-old advantage, the conscious care of which is not only an obligation imposed by international norms but a long-term national interest. There is a law in Hungary that sets forth the national and ethnic minorities that have coexisted with Hungarians for at least 100 years. These are the following, listed alphabetically according to the Hungarian alphabet: Bulgarians, Gypsies, Greeks, Croatians, Poles, Germans, Armenians, Romanians, Ruthenians, Serbians, Slovakians, Slovenians, and Ukrainians. The basis of a market economy has been established in Hungary. In 1997, 59% of Hungarian workers were employed in the service sectors, while only 33% were employed in industry and 7.9% in the agricultural sectors. The rate of employment among workers was 82%. The unemployment rate in 1997 was 8.7%. In the same year, the average gross income of employees was HUF 57,270. The per capita GDP was HUF 841,000 in 1997 (increasing by 4.6% compared to the previous year). The current balance of payments deficit was USD 981 million, while the country's net foreign debt amounted to 25% of GDP in 1997. The inflation rate was 28.2% in 1995, 23.6% in 1996, and 18.3% in 1997. The inflation rate was only 14.6% between January and November 1998 (these figures were obtained from the Central Statistical Office). According