Ruling Fidesz is calling for support of a signature drive for a European initiative on protecting national regions. The initiative dubbed European Citizens’ Initiative for the Equality of the Regions and Sustainability of the Regional Cultures was launched by the Szekler National Council, party lawmaker Barna Pál Zsigmond said. According to its official page, the initiative aims to convince the European Commission to create a cohesion policy that pays special attention to regions with national, ethnic, cultural, religious or linguistic characteristics that are different from those of the surrounding regions. For the initiative launched on May 7 last year to be successful, at least one million supporting signatures are needed from seven member states by May 7 this year.
Green opposition LMP said that a parliamentary resolution initiated by the party would be passed to garner support for the European Citizens’ Initiative. LMP group leader László Loránt Keresztes said the Fidesz-Christian Democrats party group, opposition Jobbik and the Socialists had expressed their willingness to support the resolution in parliament in an expedited procedure.