Hungarian minority MP Horvath no longer head of minority organisation

At the December session of the Lendava council of the Pomurje Hungarian Self-Governing Community (PMSNS), Horvath failed to win enough votes for re-election.

The 12-member council appoints up to ten councillors to the PMSNS. Eight were appointed at its latest session and the new head will be appointed on Monday, Lendava council head Tomi Horvat told the press.

In addition to Horvath, Zsuzsanna Bači also failed to garner enough votes to be elected.

Addressing a press conference in Lendava on Friday, Horvath said he respected the decision of the majority but did not understand it, as he believes he has always done his job to the best of his abilities and has always had the interests of the community at heart.

He highlighted what he considers the biggest achievements of his three terms, including realised projects, new jobs in the Prekmurje region and cooperation among members of the minority across the region, saying that his failure to get re-elected might have stemmed from others' personal interests.

Horvath will not contest the outcome, and given that he remains the MP representing the minority, he plans to stay open to cooperation with the minority's representatives if the latter work to the benefit of the entire community.

In the past, Horvath's dual role in parliament and at the helm of the council was challenged by the anti-graft commission, which found him to be in breach of incompatibility of dual offices, but Horvath kept insisting on keeping both jobs arguing the two were not incompatible.

His appeal against the commission's decision was dismissed by a district and a higher court, but in July 2022, he announced that the Administrative Court had ruled in his favour in the case and ordered the commission to annul its decision.