- Pressemeddelelser
We are close to having gathered the 1 million signatures, 822 000 EU citizens have already signed the Minority SafePack Initiative, announced Loránt Vincze, the President of the FUEN on March 8, 2018. With 25 days to go, the European Citizen’s Initiative asking for EU protection and support for autochthonous minorities and language groups has a good chance of succeeding. “The finish line is near. We’re getting close, but we’re not there yet. The stakes are high and it’s all up to you: this opportunity will not come back again! A strong and determined effort is needed from all our members, partners and supporters” – said the President of FUEN in Bozen. Loránt Vincze is visiting South Tyrol where the MSPI campaign is going on full speed, headed by a large committee in place to promote the initiative.
The MinoritySafePack Initiative has to gather one million signatures and has to pass the national threshold in seven Member States. Romania, Hungary and Slovakia have already passed the threshold, Latvia is very close with less than 800 signatures needed, while Denmark, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Spain, Poland and Croatia also have good chances of passing the threshold. A counter has been enabled on the minority-safepack.eu website for all the signatures made online and on paper in each country, and it updates daily.
69 personalities of the German-speaking and Ladin communities from politics, economy, culture, sports and civil society have agreed to be the faces of the MSPI campaign in South Tyrol, including the member of the MSPI Citizens Committee Luis Durnwalder. "The Minority SafePack Initiative is in the spirit of the European idea and a unique opportunity to underline that linguistic and cultural diversity can be the strength of a region, a country", declared Arno Kompatscher during his presentation at the EURAC Center. The Governor of South Tyrol added that the region is a model in this regard: “It is very important to us to support the protection of minorities in Europe, so that in the future those who currently enjoy far fewer rights will enjoy the same rights as we South Tyroleans," said the Governor.
"Minorities play an important role in the growing together of Europe, as they help to make borders disappear every day. Even if South Tyrol is doing well as a minority region today, it is our task to ensure that other minorities also enjoy better protection in the future" – said FUEN Vice President Daniel Alfreider.
”Our success depends on the finish line. We all can be winners, or we will fail together. It is also the last chance to convince people from the majority communities to support our initiative. Autochthonous minorities are a European richness that needs to be protected. The signatures of people belonging to the national minority and language groups show the power of your community, your aim to change the EU into a better place for our cultures and languages. It shows that your community wants a future for itself in Europe. Simply put: when it comes to minority rights, if you don’t sign, you don’t exist. It’s up to each of us, each of you!” – said Loránt Vincze in Bozen, Italy.
