NEWS

Prime Minister Borut Pahor: Due to the uncertain conditions, we must be especially sensitive to minority rights

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, attended the ceremony this evening in Lendava celebrating the 30th anniversary of television and 50th anniversary of radio programmes in Hungarian in the Republic of Slovenia.

 

(Photo: Bobo)

 

The Prime Minister said in his address that the changes we have been facing in Europe in the last two decades have had benefits for people who wish to live in tolerance and harmony. He stressed that we should reflect on our differences, maintain the special features of our national, cultural and other identity, and raise ourselves – and particularly our children – in an atmosphere of multiculturality. For this reason, the anniversaries being marked these days in Slovenia by the television and radio programmes in Hungarian offer an opportunity to become aware of the moment in which we live and in which we can take much more ambitious steps.

 

According to the Prime Minister, Slovenia must be very sensitive to minority rights in the current conditions of economic uncertainty, since it is important we know how to live with diversity among us. “The very possibility of common life might depend largely on how successful we are in overcoming barriers to bring Slovenia into the group of most-developed countries that show solidarity with other countries,” emphasised the Prime Minister.

 

(Photo: Bobo)

 

On this occasion, Prime Minister Pahor addressed the issues of the reduction of funds earmarked by the Italian government for the Slovene minority in Italy and the possible adoption of certain similar measures against the Italian minority in Slovenia by the Slovenian Government. “I believe this negative reciprocity is not appropriate, and we will renounce it,” he said. “I am here to tell you that we as the Slovenian Government will make every effort to leave all the institutions of both minorities unaffected, even in circumstances of great economic uncertainty necessitating measures of austerity.”