The growth of ethnic Hungarian communities beyond the borders is an important goal, and any problems that prevent such growth must be investigated, the state secretary in charge of the policy of the nation said on Wednesday.
The Hungarian population in the Carpathian Basin is on the wane, and even though the main reasons are understood – such as migration, assimilation and the low number of births – an assessment should be made of other causes, Zsuzsanna Repas of the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice told an conference marking World Population Day. Policy proposals are also needed in order to reverse the negative trend, she added.
Head of the Central Statistical Office (KSH) Gabriella Vukovich said the problem could best be handled by improved coordination of family and work, but this required a change in social attitudes. She noted that the population of Hungary has been decreasing since 1981, in a long-lasting trend unique in the world.
KSH Demography Research Institute senior advisor Pal Peter Toth said a demography policy based on forming a consensus between political parties and spanning over several government terms is required, coupled with a family support policy that serves this aim. He suggested that good practices in other European countries should be taken into consideration.
The largest ethnic Hungarian communities among the neighbouring countries in Romania dropped from 1.6 million to 1.2 million while in Slovakia it fell from 0.5 million to 450,000 in ten years.
