Homeland Fund (Szülőföld Alap)
Since 1994 prosperity in one’s native land has become a commonly used kin-state policy goal. The idea that the marginalisation of Hungarians living beyond the borders can be helped by improving their economic situation has become increasingly prevalent. The Homeland Programme became established in 2004 as the title of a volume edited by Erika Törzsök and Tamás Réti. This collection of essays assessed the economic situation in the Hungarian-inhabited areas of the neighbouring countries and made EU-compatible development policy proposals. On 24 November 2004 the government initiated the creation of the Homeland Fund (Szülőföld Alap) which is supported by a framework programme for economic development and job creation with a budget of HUF 25 billion from various public financial sources. In the 2005 state budget the Homeland Fund (Szülőföld Alap) was included as an item of HUF 1.5 billion and the homeland programmes for Hungarians beyond the border were included as an item of HUF 1.39 billion.
In January 2005 Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány announced the five points of “national responsibility.” These were: the creation of the Homeland Fund (Szülőföld Alap), facilitating naturalisation, the introduction of national visas, support for Hungarian autonomy aspirations beyond the border and constitutional amendment. The Homeland Fund (Szülőföld Alap) Act was adopted by Parliament in February 2005. The fund was set up with a budget of HUF 1 billion which could be increased with citizens’ donations of 1% of their personal income tax (which amounted to HUF 72.3 million in 2007). The institution belonged to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs operated within the Government Office for Hungarian Minorities Abroad, and was led by a 15-member council, 7 members of which were appointed by the Prime Minister and the same number by Hungarian organisations beyond the border. Three colleges have been set up: 1. education, cultural, social, religious, and media affairs; 2. regional and municipal issues; 3. economic and territorial development. At the end of 2006, in response to the situation after EU accession and the need to make aid policy more efficient, the Illyés Public Foundation and the Apáczai Public Foundation were merged into the Homeland Fund (Szülőföld Alap). The colleges were also restructured, and a separate Homeland Fund (Szülőföld Alap) Office was established to replace the defunct Government Office for Hungarian Minorities Abroad, under the supervision of the State Secretariat for Kin-State Policy of the Prime Minister’s Office. In December 2010, by establishing the Bethlen Gábor Fund the assets of the Homeland Fund (Szülőföld Alap) were merged into the new aid policy institution.