A Roma children's choir performed at the Hungarian parliament during the inauguration of Prime Minister Péter Magyar, marking a historic moment for the country's Roma community. The young musicians, dressed in black bow ties, sang 'Zöld az erdő', considered the unofficial anthem of Roma in Hungary, as MPs wiped away tears.
The performance came after 16 years of Viktor Orbán's rule, during which Roma rights campaigners say discrimination worsened. Roma advocacy groups were dismantled, and state protections eroded. Romaversitas, a group helping Roma youth, was classified as a threat to national sovereignty, leaving it struggling for funding.
The new parliament includes a record five Roma MPs, four from Magyar's Tisza party and one from Fidesz. Krisztián Kőszegi, a Roma Tisza MP, became one of the deputy speakers of the national assembly, a first for the community. He said Tisza would work collaboratively to address issues in education, housing, and justice.
Roma rights campaigners have urged the new government to turn symbolism into real change. A letter drafted by 50 Roma professionals called for acknowledging discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities. 'The regime change can only be successful if they do it hand in hand with the Roma,' said Aladár Horváth, a prominent Roma rights campaigner.
