Inter-parliamentary conference on minority issues held in Belgrade
The European Parliament and the National Parliament of Serbia organised an inter-parliamentary conference in Belgrade entitled Civil and political representation of national and ethnic minorities. Hungarian MEPs Csaba Sógor (Romania) and Pál Csáky (Slovakia) were present at the event organised between the 20th and 21st of November, as well as Ivo Vajgl, Slovenian liberal MEP.
During the conference, RMDSZ MEP Csaba Sógor and Dr. Tove Hansen Malloy, president of the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) held a discussion on the issue: can there be social cohesion without the involvement of national minorities?
In the opinion of Csaba Sógor social cohesion can only exist where a society can accept the differences, where multiculturalism is a value. “In some parts of Europe it has been recognized for several decades that strengthening the cohesion of society involves long-term benefits, leading to both political and economic capital”, pointed out the RMDSZ MEP. Csaba Sógor added: “The example of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland show that durable and stable economic growth without a certain level of social cohesion is difficult to achieve. “A fragmented and atomized society cannot succeed in the long run. There must be cooperative arrangements between the majority and minority, which promote social cohesion” - explained the MEP.
