Greeks in Hungary

Greeks ( _el. Έλληνες, "Ellines", _hu. Görögök) are one of the thirteen officially recognized ethnic minorities in Hungary since "The Rights of National and Ethnic Minorities Act" was enacted by the Hungarian parliament on July 7, 1993.cite web |url=http://www.per-usa.org/self_gov.htm |title=Self-government in Hungary: the Romani/Gypsy experience and prospects for the future |accessdate=2007-02-18 |format=HTML |work=Project on ethnic relations ]

Hungarian law recognizes individuals' minority rights, establishes the concept of the collective rights of ethnic minorities, and states the inalienable collective right of minorities to preserve their ethnic identity. The law also permits associations, movements, and political parties of an ethnic or national character and mandates the unrestricted use of ethnic languages. To be recognized, an ethnic group must have at least 100 years' presence in the country, and its members must be citizens.cite web |url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41685.htm |title=Hungary |accessdate=2007-02-18 |format=HTML |work=United States Department of State: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004 ]

The earliest migrations of Greeks to the territory of present-day Hungary (as part of the Austrian Empire) were noted in the 15th and 16th centuries and consisted primarily of isolated highly educated individuals.cite web |url=http://www2.fhw.gr/projects/migration/15-19/gr/v2/central_europe.html |title=Oi ellinikes paroikies tis Kentrikis Evropis |accessdate=2007-02-18 |format=HTML |work=Greek Migration to Europe (15th-19th c.) ] Mass migrations did not occur until the 17th century, the largest waves being in 1718 and 1760-1770cite web |url=http://www2.fhw.gr/projects/migration/15-19/gr/v2/mayar.html |title=Oi ellinikes paroikies stin Ungaria |accessdate=2007-02-18 |format=HTML |work=Greek Migration to Europe (15th-19th c.) ] ; they were primarily connected to the economic conditions of the period It is estimated that 10,000 Greeks emigrated to Hungary in the second half of the 18th century.

The present-day Greek community consists primarily of political refugees from the Greek Civil Warcite web |url=http://www.greekembassy.hu/english/BILATERAL%20RELATIONS.htm |title=Bilateral relations between Greece and Hungary |accessdate=2007-02-18 |format=HTML |work=The website of the Greek Embassy in Budapest ] and numbers 2,509 people according to the 2001 census.cite web |url=http://www.nepszamlalas.hu/eng/volumes/18/tables/prnt1_28.html |title=Population by mother tongue, nationality and sex, 1900–2001 |accessdate=2007-02-18 |format=HTML |work=Hungarian Central Statistical Office ] In the village Beloiannisz (Greek: Μπελογιάννης "Beloyannis"), founded in 1950 from Greek refugees, the mayor is traditionally Greek although the number of the Greeks has dwindled to about 300 out of a total population of 1,200.

ee also

*Greek people
*Greek diaspora
*Greece–Hungary relations

References

External links

*/hu icon [http://www.ellinismos.hu/ Self-government of the Greeks of Hungary]
*/hu icon [http://www.patriarchatus.hu/ The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople - Exarchate of Hungary]