Govt expands support for Transcarpathian Hungarians

The Hungarian government is expanding the scope of its 2.56 billion forints (EUR 7.2m) support scheme for Hungarian communities in Transcarpathia to Hungarians in almost all walks of life, a government official said on Wednesday. The scheme offers support for teachers working in Hungarian, music and art teachers, health-care workers, media employees and performers and librarians working in Hungarian, Arpad Janos Potapi said. It has now been expanded to fund the work of children's homes employees and coaches, as well as Hungarian clergymen, he said. Hungarian communities in Transcarpathia, in western Ukraine, are among the most vulnerable, Potapi said, pledging that the Hungarian government will do everything in its power to enable them to make a living in their homelands.