Hungary's political class must act now in order to enact legislation which affords better protection for the country's minorities, including the Roma, the minority ombudsman said in a address to parliament on Tuesday.

Erno Kallai, referring to the killing on Monday of a Roma man and his five-year-old boy, called on members of parliament to work out a "peace plan" in relation to the country's ethnic minorities.

He also outlined the number of serious attacks against Roma people since last year.

"There isn't just an economic crisis, but a social one too in Hungary today," said the ombudsman.

Speaking to 25 MPs and the justice minister before the parliamentary session convened, he said he did not want to hear statements from politicians but a concrete plan of action.