Ethnic groups

Hungarians demand more rights and support

Since July 2000, bilingual place name signs have enriched the street scene, including in the Hungarian-speaking Oberwart.(Bild: P. Huber)

Ethnic group of Hungarians sees linguistic diversity in danger. Fair support and more bilingual staff are intended to eliminate this injustice.

Although clearly regulated in the Federal Constitution, the actual implementation of the rights of the ethnic groups is not always so simple. With three ethnic groups - Croats, Hungarians and Roma - Burgenland occupies a very special position in Austria.

Historically grown injustice
The Hungarians, whose advisory board chairman Attila Somogyi is making clear demands of the federal government, are now making a self-confident attempt to improve their rights. Unlike the Croatian and Slovenian ethnic groups, whose rights were laid down in the State Treaty, those of the "Burgenland Hungarians" and the "Viennese Hungarians" were only recognized as part of the six autochthonous ethnic groups in Austria in 1976 and 1992 respectively. "It is time to eliminate this historical injustice. This non-recognition has a detrimental effect today," emphasizes Somogyi.

Hungarians are the largest ethnic group in Austria. However, they are in third place when it comes to subsidies. This injustice must be rectified.

Attila Somogyi, Beiratsvorsitzender der Volksgruppe der Ungarn

 The constant praise for the diversity and peaceful coexistence of the ethnic groups is important, but clearly not enough. He sees a need for action, especially when it comes to Hungarian as an official language. "We are already in the final stage of language change. Hiring more bilingual staff in municipalities and authorities is overdue," says Somogyi.

Hungarians see unfair distribution of funding
The distribution of funding among the six ethnic groups is also causing displeasure among the Hungarians. Here the Chairman of the Advisory Board refers to figures last collected in 2001, according to which the Hungarians were in first place among the ethnic groups in Austria with just under 26,000. In terms of funding, however, they were only in third place. "A situation that needs to be rectified as soon as possible," says Somogyi.