The nearly 50-page report highlighted the xenophobic and intolerant attitudes that persist within Hungarian society, in particular against the Roma, despite the authorities’ efforts. There have been reports of physical attacks against the Roma in recent years and extremist political movements and parties continue to spread prejudice and hate speech against the Roma, the report added.

Roma continue to suffer systemic discrimination and inequality in all fields of life including housing, employment, education, access to health and participation in social and political life, the committee said in its opinion on Hungary. Additionally, according to evidence collected by the authorities, segregation of Roma school children has become more widespread in recent years.

Discrimination of Roma children has deepened, in particular as a result of the approach of “benevolent segregation” promoted by the authorities by which Roma children are expected to “catch up” in separate Roma classes before their supposed inclusion in mainstream education, the report added.

At the same time, the report stated that the socio-economic situation of most national minorities living in Hungary does not diverge from the majority population. Efforts of the authorities to promote minority cultures and education, together with particular steps taken to strengthen representation of national minorities in parliament and through the national minority selfgovernments, are widely recognised and appreciated.

Although the legislation provides a high level of protection of minority languages, in practice they are very rarely used in public affairs, the report said.

The CoE included in the report recommendations to the Hungarian authorities, such as to improve, in close consultation with Roma representatives, living conditions, access to health services, and employment of the Roma.

Hungary should also take necessary measures to end practices that lead to continued segregation of Roma children at school and redouble efforts to remedy other shortcomings faced by Roma children in the field of education, the report said.

The country was also encouraged to ensure that Roma children have equal opportunities for access to all levels of quality education, in particular by preventing placement in “catching-up classes”.

The Hungarian authorities sent their comments in response, stating that the Hungarian government does everything in order to strengthen tolerance and respectful attitudes towards minorities within the majority population. In recent years, significant measures have been taken to prevent Roma children from being wrongfully placed in special schools and as a result of these measures, the ratio of schoolchildren with mild intellectual disability has decreased from 2.1% in 2005 to 1.5% in 2014.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.