President lashes out at PSD over law granting autonomy to Szeklerland. Senate rejects the bill, Iohannis says that it happened following his stance

President Klaus Iohannis has launched a tough attack against the Social Democratic Party (PSD) for the tacit adoption in Parliament of the law granting administrative autonomy to the Szeklerland.

The head of state accused the Social Democrats, who have majority in Parliament, that they want to give “Transylvania to the Magyars”, while denouncing the deals inked in Parliament.

In his brief statement today, Iohannis has also made two references in Magyar: “O napot kívánok, PSD / O napot kívánok, Ciolacu” (Good afternoon, PSD, Good afternoon, Ciolacu, editor note: Marcel Ciolacu is PSD chairman)

The Chamber of Deputies, the Romanian Parliament’s lower chamber, has tacitly passed the law on Szeklerland autonomy, without debates in the plenary session. The draft law had been submitted by UDMR MPs a day before Christmas last year.

The bill says that the Szeklerland, consisting in three counties in central Romania, Harghita Covasna and part of Mures, can become an autonomous region as legal entity within Romania, while Romanian and Magyar language will be used the residents in the public local institutions.

PSD chairman asks intelligence services to probe Iohannis’ accusations

In retort to President Iohannis’ accusations, PSD chair Marcel Ciolacu has fired back, saying the president’s statements represent “an anti-Romanian outing”, which is “totally disqualifying the Presidency office”.

“President Iohannis’ outing today shows how low you can end up in politics”, Ciolacu posted on Facebook, adding that Klaus Iohannis “knew that PSD is against the bill on Szeklerland autonomy”.

“Today I had the impression that Vadim Tudor is still alive and is Romania’s President (…) Dear Romanians, nobody sold Transylvania to anyone and no one will ever sell it“, he argued, also asking the Romanian intelligence services to come out and clarify if the President’s accusations are true or not.

UDMR’s Kelemen Hunor: Unworthy of a President

UDMR chairman, Kelemen Hunor, said in his turn that Klaus Iohannis’ statements “are not worthy of a president”, asking the head of state to apologize.

„Klaus Iohannis, nervous, hysterical, had a statement unworthy of a president, with a violent and dangerous message that was common to PRM (e.n: Greater Romania Party, a nationalist far-right party): the Magyars are taking our Transylvania. We witnessed today an unprecedented event in the past 30 years: from the Cotroceni tribune there are gross fake news instigating against Magyars (…) The President should apologize for this dangerous slippage“, Kelemen Hunor said.

Iohannis reported to the National Council for Combating Discrimination for hate speech

Moreover, an NGO fighting for the Minorities Rights, „Mikó Imre” Association has filed a complaint to the National Council for Combating Discrimination (CNCD) against President Iohannis, arguing that his latest statements on the autonomy law represent “hate speech”.