collective rights
Belonging to a nationality/an ethnic group is a fundamental right that applies to individuals and communities alike and must always be interpreted in conjunction with the principle of equal rights and non-discrimination. collective rightss are often interpreted in two distinctly different ways: 1. as rights of the community as a collective legal entity, or 2. as the collective exercise of individual rights. The latter presupposes the existence of an ethnic, linguistic and cultural community. In the case of rights conferred on the community as a collective legal entity the actual subject may be an organisation, institution or legal person capable of representing the interests of the community and exercising the rights.
According to the Hungarian legal concept, under Act CLXXIX of 2011 on the Rights of Nationalities (Njt.) the 13 national minority communities recognised in Hungary are entitled to collective rights which include the following:
– preservation, cultivation and transmission of nationality identity;
– preserving and developing historical traditions and language;
– cultivation and enrichment of material and personal culture, undisturbed management of their events and festivities, preservation and cultivation of their religious monuments, and the use of their symbols;
– use of historically established place names, street names and other geographical indications in the course of exercising the right of community name use;
– establishment and operation of educational, training, scientific and cultural institutions;
– establishment and operation of social organisations as well as municipal, regional and national self-governments;
– initiating the teaching of and education in the mother tongue;
– ensuring the regular production and broadcasting of national minority programmes in public service media;
– parliamentary representation.