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On 21 December, FUEN President Loránt Vincze and FUEN advisor Frank de Boer had a meeting with the Prime Minister of the German-speaking Community in Belgium Oliver Paasch in the Representation of the German-speaking Community in Brussels. Prime Minister Oliver Paasch, who participated in several FUEN congresses and events, is the former chair of ProDG, a member organisation of FUEN.
Loránt Vincze informed Prime Minister Oliver Paasch about the newest developments in the FUEN and the main projects for 2017. He emphasized that the objective of the FUEN is to strengthen cooperation with the autonomous German-speaking Community, and with other regions, which have minority communities on their territories.
The FUEN wishes to establish in 2017 a minority forum of the regions. “In Europe most of the autochthonous minority communities live in regions with well defined historical, linguistic and cultural characteristics. In general the region is the main administrative level that determines the relationship between the majority and the minority, that plays an important role in the development of the identity, and is the basis for the existence and functioning of self-administered institutions. Regions have a varied approach regarding the different communities living in their territory; it is particularly important to share best practices and good solutions in the minority field through regional relationships, and by cooperation between the regions” – stated the FUEN President at the meeting. It is FUEN’s role to bring these regions together.
The government of the German-speaking Community in Belgium will continue to support FUEN and wants to share its experience with other regions and minorities across Europe. The German-speaking Community is a relatively small region with 77,000 inhabitants in the eastern part of the country. Inside the Belgian federal system it has a high level of autonomy that enables the region to decide about its own policies.
