Both Hungary and Croatia regard indigenous national communities as valuable assets

Following an official meeting with Croatian President Zoran Milanović, President Tamás Sulyok arrived in the Republic of Croatia on a working visit. The first stop on his itinerary was a meeting with the Croatian Head of State and the leadership of the Democratic Community of Hungarians in Croatia in Bellye.

At a ceremony held at the Hungarian House in Kopács, the President of Hungary stated: "Both Hungary and Croatia regard indigenous national communities as valuable assets and resources." President Sulyok then added that national communities constitute an important part of Croatian-Hungarian dialogue.

The President of Hungary emphasised that the trends of our time atomise our societies, relativise our values and fragment the communities that have so far managed to survive. According to the Head of State, national communities know all too well that this is no way to live or to secure a future.

Croatian President Zoran Milanović and Róbert Jankovics, President of the Democratic Community of Hungarians in Croatia, also spoke at the event.

The Hungarian and Croatian delegations then took part in the National Croatian Day events held at Pécs’s Kodály Centre.  Dr. Tamás Sulyok, President of Hungary, emphasised that the Croatian minority in Hungary is a living and active community. Ensuring their survival, preserving their language, cultivating their traditions, and enriching their values serve Hungary’s best interests, just as safeguarding the identity of Hungarians in Croatia serves Croatia’s best interests.

The Hungarian Head of State emphasized that we are so closely connected, have shared so many experiences, and have created so much value for one another that none of it can be forgotten.

Croatian President Zoran Milanović stated that he is certain that these important and symbolic meetings contribute to the preservation of the identity of ethnic communities, thereby enriching the country, and that they play an important role in bilateral relations.