MEP Laszlo Tokes: The Gov’t defies Szeklers and Magyars through anti-Magyar actions

MEP Tokes Laszlo, the president of the National Magyar Council from Transylvania (CNMT) accused the Romanian Government that it bids defiance to the Szeklers (a Hungarian-speaking ethnic minority of Transylvania) and Magyars living in Romania through anti-Magyar actions and anti-Magyar bills.

While in Cluj on Friday, Tokes said he pleads for a normal partnership relation between the Romanian Government and the Magyar community.

Romania’s Government challenges us, Szeklers and Magyars through anti-Magyar actions in the past years, through atrocities against young Magyars in Târgu Secuiesc or against mayors from the large Szekler cities. We refuse this attitude of the majority Government, we want to become the Gov’t partners, not second-ranked citizens (…) It should be a majority-minority partnership relationship, as the autonomy has its place in the general democratic framework of a democratic country,” Tokes stated.

The MEP reminded that he had proposed a Romanian –Magyar national round table since early 1990 to reach a consensus on the minority issued.

This round table should be a representative one, not one between UDMR and the Government, but a larger one (…) Romania’s democratic system should also encompass the minorities’ policy,” he also said.

A week ago, MEP Laszlo Tokes had his national distinction stripped, following a court ruling.

President Klaus Iohannis argued that he decided to strip MEP Laszlo Tokes of the “Star of Romania” order due to the court’s decision, explaining that the person who receives such a distinction must observe the Romanian Constitution.

Tokes received the decoration in 2009, while on November 20th, 2013, the Council of Honour of the ‘Star of Romania’ National Order has decided by five votes in favour and one abstention to withdraw the distinction granted to Laszlo Tokes.

The main reason for the withdrawal was that on 27th July 2013, Laszlo Tokes asked Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban that, together with his Government to establish a “system of national cooperation” that would offer “protectorate” status to Transylvania, “like Austria did with South Tyrol.”

Szeklers’ rally in Târgu Mureș

4,000 people commemorated Szekler martyrs in a rally in Târgu Mureș on Thursday. Protesters carried Hungarian red-white-green and Szekler blue-and-gold flags during the march.

MEP Laszlo Tokes also attended the rally, speaking in favour of Szekler autonomy. “Our autonomy programme not only was not achieved, but it seems ever more farther. I am reading with consternation that UDMR leaders in Târgu Mureș don’t consider the Szekler freedom day, <as a political event>,’ so they are not participating as representatives of a political organization, but as private individuals,” Tokes said.

Gunther Dauwen, director of the European Free Alliance of regional parties (EFA), also took part in the rally, stating that President Klaus Iohannis, as member of an ethnic minority, should be more responsive to the minorities’ requests.

The Romanian Government must observe the minorities’ rights and consider their requests, to guarantee freedom, equality and prosperity to all people. The new ‘nomenklatura’ [editor’s note: Communist elite] in Bucharest does not observe these rights. There can be no freedom if the most basic rights are not observed, and requests of autonomy are incriminated, including by banning Szekler symbols. All these occur while the incumbent President is Klaus Iohannis, who — as a member of an [ethnic] minority, should be more responsive to these problems,” Dauwen said.

anti-magyar actionsautonomybillsClujdirectorEFAEuropean Free Alliance of regional partiesgovernmentGunther DauwenLaszlo TokesMagyarsMEPrallyszeklersTargu Mures
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