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16
ImreLipcsei
ThepresentterritoryofBékéscountywasformedduringthecountyplan-
ningin1950.Atthattime,Békéscsaba,intheplaceofGyula,becamethe
countyseat.Békésisrankedamongagriculturalcounties,theterrainconditions
ofthisregionareoutstandinglybetterthanthenationalaverage.Industrializa-
tionlargelyattractedtheworkforcethathadbeenmaderedundantasaresultof
themechanizationofagriculture.However,mainlythefoodandlightindustry
sectorsprevailed.
Aftertheregimechangein1990recessionensuedsincemanyofthelarge
state-ownedcompanieswereclosed,oratleasttheyoperatedwithdecreased
productionoutputordownsizedworkforce.
Currently,thecountymaybecharacterizedasabackwardone.Itisthesev-
enthlargestinthecountry,whereasintermsofpopulationitranksfourteenth.
Thepopulationdecrease,incomparisonwiththenationalaverage,stemsfrom
lowerbirthrateaswellassignificantemigration.Anothernegativecharacter-
isticisstagnationofthecounty’sindustrywhichclearlyresultsfromthepoor
infrastructure(thereisnohighwaycrossingBékéscsaba).
Ofcourse,wemayalsomentionnumerouspositiveaspects,suchasuni-
versityandcollegefacultieswithresearchinstitutions.Moreover,itisacounty
ofthrivingtourismwithfamousspasaswellaswildlifeconservationareas.
SituationinBékésCountyintermsofethniccompositionseemsimproved,
too.Accordingtothe2011census,8.1%ofthepopulationbelongstonationali-
tiesotherthanHungarian,whichrepresentsanincreasecomparedwiththedata
fromthecensusconductedtenyearsearlier.Slovaks,Germans,Romanians,
andRomamakeupthefourlargestnational/ethnicminoritygroups.Roma
populationconstitutesthelion’sshareofalltheminoritiesinthecounty;their
proportionis3.0%oftheentirecountry’sRomapopulation.Thepercentageof
Germansis1.8%comparedtotheentireGermanpopulationlivinginHungary.
InthecaseofSlovaksandRomanians,thecounty,however,ranksfirstinthe
country,sincemostofthecitizensrepresentingthosetwonationalminorities
liveinBékésCounty:25.0%oftheSlovakethnicgroup,18.0%ofRomanians.
ThesurveysoflocalgovernmentsalsoindicatetheprevalenceofRoma
representatives,sinceoutof75settlementsofBékéscounty,theRomaself-
governmentswereestablishedin35places.SlovaksandRomaniansarepresent
in17settlementseach,whereasGermansrunninelocalgovernments.Itisalso
worthmentioningSerbs,whomaintaintheirlocalgovernmentonlyinonetown,
namelyBattonya,whereasPolesrepresentthemselvesinBékéscsaba.
Inthefollowingsectionsofthearticle,Iwillcloselyexaminethesituation
ofethnicandnationalminorities.
