A total of 344 MPs voted for the motion and 3 against: Socialist MPs Ferenc Gyurcsany, Csaba Molnar and Tibor Szanyi. A further three Socialists and two LMP members abstained.

Of the MPs who cast the affirmative votes 224 were Fidesz, 34 Christian Democrat, 32 Socialist, 43 Jobbik and 11 LMP.

Outgoing party chairwoman Ildiko Lendvai and 20 other Socialist caucus members did not vote. Caucus leader Attila Mesterhazy and former speaker Katalin Szili voted affirmatively, however.

Under the new law ethnic Hungarians, either by birth or ancestry, will be able to become citizens of Hungary. They will not gain voting rights and applications will be accepted on a case by case basis, however.

The legislation will take effect on August 20, 2010 but will apply from January 1, 2011. Parliament asked President Laszlo Solyom to promulgate it with urgency.

Mesterhazy told reporters that the Fidesz cabinet will bear responsibility for all the resultant problems of the bill, as most MPs did not support a Socialist proposal to delay it.

He said the Socialists had three problems with the bill: its timing, insufficient preparation and the lack of consultations with ethnic Hungarians in neighbouring countries.

Jobbik chairman Gabor Vona did not vote because he was giving a radio interview during the ballot after misreading the dates.

Romanian MEP Laszlo Tokes called the law “a political act of historic significance”.

OSCE high commissioner for ethnic minority affairs Knut Vollebaek said in a position paper on Wednesday that granting dual citizenship only constitutes a risk if large numbers are involved, especially when a state provides dual citizenship to specific groups in a neighbouring country.

Several ethnic Hungarian organisations abroad welcomed the resolution.

In an interview with Magyar Hirlap incoming deputy prime minister Zsolt Semjen said as Slovakia has already passed a similar act, it will not challenge Hungarian interests if ethnic Slovaks in Hungary use their right.

Granting citizenship is a domestic, sovereign affair for every country, he stressed."

Source: Hungary Around the Clock.

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