In multinational states, the quality of democracy depends on how the majority protects the rights of minorities. In post-communist Romania, there is a controversy related with the demand to recognize the Hungarian language as an official language. The author insists that before a decision is taken, Romanian citizens and decision-makers should examine carefully the status of minority languages in different parts of Europe and around the world. However, there are relevant examples of multinational states (Russia, China) where minority languages are officially recognized, but democracy is far from away from consolidation. The protection of the minority rights is only a factor among others that contribute to the consolidation of democracy