"If Europe wants to find its calling in today's world, to become the union of all communities of European citizens, then it must grow beyond being the union of political nations, and become the union of regions and ethnic-linguistic-cultural communities. In other words, it must become the union of cultural nations as well," Sólyom said.
"It is obvious that there are communities in Europe linked by a common language, culture, history and sense of identity, irrespective of where they are located in relation to national borders and citizenship. Membership in a cultural nation of this nature and loyalty to the countries of which they are citizens do not contradict one another. Quite the contrary: a part of a cultural nation living as a minority within another country will integrate successfully into the given country if the majority guarantees the personal and community rights of the minority and if it sees other ethnicities not as hazards or even problems, but as valuable additions to the richness of the country," Sólyom said, explaining the concept of the cultural nation.
Sólyom, who is in the fifth and final year of his presidency, said the priorities of Hungarian foreign policy had remained unchanged over the past 20 years: "Strong Euro-Atlantic commitment, European integration and special responsibility for the Hungarians living as minorities in neighbouring countries, along a peaceful neighbourhood policy.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Photo: MTI
