The EU should hold the member states accountable for the enforcement of minority protection rights

The EU should hold the member states accountable for the enforcement of minority rights, these criteria should not only be expected of the accession states, stressed MEP Csaba Sógor at the EP plenary in December.

During the debate about the reportentitled Human rights in the world in 2012 and the European Union's policy on the matter the RMDSZ politician said: it gives him great pleasure to see that the report urges the Union to safeguard the equal treatment of citizens belonging to a national minority with regard to education, healthcare, social services and other public services.

The report further stresses that the accession states must ensure, in all areas of economic, social, political and cultural life, full and effective equality between persons belonging to a national minority and those belonging to the majority. In Csaba Sógor’s opinion these requirements are very welcome, though it is regrettable that once a country becomes a member state the EU no longer holds it accountable for enforcing these measures.

"It sends this message to future member states: these issues should only be on the agenda until the country becomes a member state, and once this occurs, the laws and regulations protecting minority rights can even be revoked. Sadly, there have been examples for this, therefore the concern is not ungrounded. The solution is to include the Copenhagen criteria in the EU legislation, and the Commission should consider initiating this”, pointed out the RMDSZ politician.

The video recording of the plenary debate is available here.