Nation-Building and Contested Identities: Romanian & Hungarian ...

The central scope of the law is to ensure the special relations of the Hungariansliving in the region, despite their state-allegiances, and to convincethe Hungarians living in neighboring countries to remain in their homecountry. Besides the initial idea that the “Status Law” will serve as a basisfor according preferential national visas to the possessors of the “Certificateof Hungarian Nationality,” the public debate focused on the effect ofthis law on the emigration of the Hungarians from the neighboring countries.The expressed goal of the law is explained as follows:While promoting the national identity of Hungarians living in neighboringcountries, the Law obviously ensures prosperity and staying withinthe home country. According to the scope of the Law, the codifier appliesdifferent provisions to encourage living within the home country anddoes not support resettling to Hungary. Most forms of assistance will beapplied within the home countries of Hungarians living in neighboringcountries; the institutional structure needed for any assistance for theHungarian minorities in the neighboring countries is established throughthis legal norm. 30However, other aspects cannot be disregarded:Nationalizing Minorities and Homeland PoliticsThe Law meets the interest of the Hungarian citizens, since it is protectingand supervising the labor market. This is of a great importance bothfor foreign companies investing in Hungary and thus, indirectly for theEU. Actually, Hungarians living in neighboring countries are oftenemployed in Hungary – illegally. Should we legalize employing them inHungary – their contribution to the health insurance system and taxeswill increase the amount of the central state budget. The contribution ofHungarians living in neighboring countries to the development of economicrelations between Hungary and the neighboring countries may beregarded as an economic investment being refunded in the near future. 31While in the early stages of framing the law this second argument was notemployed, recently it became of central importance, as a partial response tothe critics who emphasize that the implementation of the law will cost a lot tothe Hungarian state.However, the most salient question is whether the law, once itbecame operational, will increase or decrease ethnic Hungarian immigrationto Hungary. Hungary’s official position is that Hungarians fromneighboring countries should remain in their home country. The government’sargument is that, when the law enters into force, Hungarians fromthe neighboring countries will prefer to remain in their home country,263