Loránt Vincze leads the EP Minority Intergroup

The Intergroup for Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages of the European Parliament (IG10-25) was re-established in Brussels on 15 January, as reported by the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN). FUEN President Loránt Vincze of the Hungarian minority in Romania (RMDSZ, European People's Party) was elected chair of the Intergroup. He had already served as co-chairman for nine terms, together with François Alfonsi (Femu a Corsica, France; Greens/EFA) and Kinga Gál (Fidesz, Hungary), who, like Vincze, comes from the Hungarian minority in Transylvania (Romania).

The following were elected as vice-chairs: Lukasz Kohut, a Silesian regionalist from Poland (European People's Party), Annamária Vicsek from the Hungarian minority in Serbia (she was elected on the list of the Hungarian Fidesz party and belongs to the Patriots for Europe faction), Anna-Maja Henriksson from the Swedish minority in Finland (Swedish People's Party, Renew Europe faction) and Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Catalan from the Valencian Community in Spain (Compromís party, Greens/EFA group).

"The European dialogue within the Intergroup has given us valuable experience and strengthened our arguments. It is in the common interest of minorities that Europe pays attention to autochthonous minorities, grants them legal protection and supports them. We will continue to work towards this," emphasised Loránt Vincze on his election. "Europe's linguistic and cultural diversity is a common value that must be protected. It is high time that the European Commission recognised this," he added.

Intergroups provide a forum for an informal exchange of views on specific topics between different political groups and facilitate contact between members of parliament and civil society. Each intergroup consists of members from at least three different political groups. There are currently 28 intergroups.