The renovation of more than fifty Slovak national institutions in Hungary will continue this year, said the State Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office responsible for church and national relations on Saturday in Szarvas, at the handover of the headquarters of the renewed local Slovak national self-government.


Miklós Soltész announced that 41 locations will undergo several million renovations; In 12 places, however, they are in the tens of millions, and in some places they are in the billions. He added that Slovak schools in Szarvas will be supported with HUF 30 million this year, and HUF 15 million will be given to the further renovation of the seat of the local Slovak ethnic self-government.

The State Secretary said that the First National Sports Weekend will be organized in the city of Békés this weekend, to which more than 200 children from eight settlements and eight national high schools came. As he said, he was happy to see that 30-40 of the young people embraced each other early in the evening and sang the song "We are from one blood", German, Serbian, Slovak, Romanian and Croatian nationalities together.

"This is a miracle, let's preserve it, especially in this world," said Miklós Soltész, adding that they share a responsibility to serve peace.

At the event, György Kozma, the president of the National Self-Government of Hungarian Romanians, announced that the 13 nationalities recognized in Hungary have decided to try to unite and help the refugees of the war in Ukraine. Collections are organized through the local ethnic municipalities, their institutions, and civil organizations, and the donations are distributed to the Bridge for Transcarpathia program.

Refugee children arriving in Hungary are provided with education and care in the educational institutions they maintain, he added.

Mihály Babak (Fidesz-KDNP) recalled in his greeting that the Slovaks settled in Szarvas 300 years ago, and today there is an ethnic self-government, a theater, a school, civil organizations and a landscape house in the town. "Living in love, peace, and harmony is the greatest value in this city," he said.

Anna Frankó , the president of the Slovak national self-government in Szarvas, said that the seat of the self-government has been renovated in two phases, for 55 million forints, and the renovation and insulation of the facade and the insulation of the doors and windows were carried out from the sum.
They received 44.8 million from EU funds, and another 10.3 million from government support. The roof, the garage and the fence will be renovated from the amount offered on Saturday - which, according to Mayor Mihály Babak's promise, the municipality will supplement to the extent necessary - he said.

Ferenc Zelman , the vice president of the National Slovak Self-Government, expressed his hope that the "Slovak culture, language and identity of Szarvas" will continue to be nurtured in the building.

MTI

Photo: The renovated building of the Slovak ethnic self-government in Szarvas on the day of handover, March 5, 2022.
The Hungarian state supports the Slovak schools in Szarvas with HUF 30 million this year, and HUF 15 million will be given to the further renovation of the seat of the local Slovak ethnic self-government. MTI/Tibor Rosta