Vizi Balázs
autonomy
autonomy is a compound word of ancient Greek origin, the first part of which, “auto” (αὐτο) means “own”, “self” or “by oneself”. A subject endowed with such a capacity has...Author: Vizi Balázs
basic treaties and bilateral minority treaties
The bilateral treaties – officially known as treaties on good neighbourly relations, friendship and cooperation – established between European states in the second half of the twentieth century, particularly in...Author: Vizi Balázs
Central European Initiative’s (CEI) minority initiative
The Central European Initiative (CEI) aims to support the European integration efforts of the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe. Due to its regional character it adopted the Instrument for...Author: Vizi Balázs
concept of minority
The existence of groups with identities different from the majority of a state’s population – as minorities – obviously only expresses a relative numerical relationship between these two groups in...Author: Vizi Balázs
CSCE/OSCE documents
The Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE, since 1994: Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE) adopted the Helsinki Final Act in 1975, which enshrined the prohibition...Author: Vizi Balázs
European minority protection regime
In international relations theory regime theories refer to the principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures around which actors’ expectations in a given area are built. In Europe since the 1990s...Author: Vizi Balázs
European Parliament decisions concerning minorities
Although the (co-)legislative role of the European Parliament (EP) has steadily increased, its work is still largely characterised by political resolutions. Before 1989 the European Parliament proposed a comprehensive legal...Author: Vizi Balázs
European Union – Copenhagen criteria
In 1993 the European Council at its session in Copenhagen formulated for the first time general political criteria for the states wishing to join the European Union. The so-called Copenhagen...Author: Vizi Balázs
indigenous peoples
The second half of the twentieth century saw a proliferation of initiatives calling for the recognition of indigenous peoples and their rights, separately from minority groups. There is no generally...Author: Vizi Balázs
linguistic landscape
The visible display of a language (in public spaces, on shop signs, on boards, on official institutions, etc.) is part of the linguistic landscape. In most cases it also shows...Author: Vizi Balázs
Minority Intergroup of the European Parliament (Intergroup on Traditional minorities, national communities and languages)
In the European Parliament MEPs can set up informal inter-groups to represent major social or political issues. A group of MEPs first took the initiative to work together across political...Author: Vizi Balázs
national minorities in Europe
Determining the exact number of national and ethnic minorities in some European countries is difficult, as many countries do not collect ethnic data on their own population for political, historical...Author: Bárdi Nándor, Gyurcsík Iván, Vizi Balázs
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
At the Helsinki follow-up meeting in 1992 the Member States of the CSCE (OSCE) decided to set up the Office of the High Commissioner for National Minorities. The High Commissioner...Author: Vizi Balázs
political parties of ethnic minorities
Political mobilisation based on ethnic, national or linguistic identity is based on the defence of the identity of the minority community against the state’s policies aimed at assimilation or globalization...Author: Vizi Balázs
Treaties of Accession to the European Union
The protection of minorities as a political condition for EU membership is only exceptionally included in accession treaties. Protocol 2 to the 1994 Treaty of Accession of Austria, Finland, Sweden...Author: Vizi Balázs
UN Declaration on the Rights of Minorities
In 1948, at the time of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN General Assembly declared its intention to deal specifically with the rights of minorities....Author: Vizi Balázs
UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues
The (United Nations) Human Rights Council (before 2006 the Commission on Human Rights) is responsible for addressing the human rights situation in the UN member states in a comprehensive manner....Author: Vizi Balázs
UN treaties affecting minorities
The first of the treaties adopted in the framework of the UN is the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted in 1948, which recognises...Author: Vizi Balázs