Two unknown perpetrators broke into the Jewish Historical Museum in Bucharest taking valuable, consecrated objects while assaulting the two elderly employees present. A police investigation is under way. [MTI-Hungarian Telegraph Agency (Budapest), Dec. 29, 2000]

The Rumanian Social Democracy Party (PDSR) signed an agreement with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania (DAHR) to secure support for the new one-party government, which will come to power as result of the November 26 elections. Both parties agreed to review fulfillment of the commitments made in the agreement on a quarterly basis. Consisting of six clauses, the agreement establishes both parties’ commitment to accelerating economic and EU integration, further decentralizing public administration, effecting private property restitution, and broadening Hungarian-language higher education. Regarding decentralization, PDSR pledged to endorse the Bill on Public Administration in the version adopted by the Senate, which allows for native-language use in public administration in localities at minimum 20 percent minority inhabited. Furthermore, in an attempt to withdraw certain powers from the police, self-governments at the local and county levels would be responsible for registering residency, traffic control, passport issuance and voters issues. Regarding private property restitution, PDSR committed itself to speeding up implementation of the Land Law, adoption of the Bill on Private Property, and the restitution of minority church and communal properties illegally confiscated under communism. Even though the agreement fails to include the establishment of an independent Hungarian-language state university, it grants greater financial and managerial decision-making power to the Hungarian-language section of the Babes-Bolyai University, as well as establishing the right to introduce native-language instruction in other higher educational institutions. The PDSR also promised to increase airtime for existing Hungarian-language radio and television broadcasts and to establish new radio stations. The new government also promised to consult with DAHR before deciding on key issues affecting Rumania’s domestic and foreign policies. In return, if all provisions of the agreement are respected, DAHR will not initiate or support any motion of no-confidence against the governing party, which holds a minority in the two-chamber Parliament. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 28, 2000; Népszabadság (Budapest), Dec. 28, 2000]

During his visit to Bucharest, German State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Christoph Zoepel stated that if Rumania wants to keep on track for EU membership all responsible political parties, including the incoming government, must refuse any kind of cooperation with extremist, nationalist forces. The foreign dignitary also met with Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania President Béla Markó and commended the ethnic Hungarian party for its role in stabilizing democracy in the country. [MTI—Hungarian Telegraph Agency (Budapest), Dec. 19, 2000]

Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania (DAHR) Senator Bálint Puskás was elected as one of the four Deputy Spokesmen of the Senate. His responsibility will include substituting for the Spokesman in his absence, coordinating and supervising the standing committee’s activities, and receiving foreign delegations. DAHR appointed other senators as well to fill top positions in the Senate, namely Dénes Seres, Chairman of Committee for Public Administration and György Frunda, Chairman of the Committee for Human Rights. In the Chamber of Deputies, DAHR appointed eight deputies to fill top positions in various committees: István Antall, Chairman of the Committee on Industry and Service; György Tokay, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Minorities, Attila Kelemen, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Ferenc Asztalos, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Education; Gyula Vida, Secretary of the Committee on Economy, Reform and Privatization, Ákos Birtalan, Secretary of the Committee on Budget, Finance and Banking, Árpád Márton, Secretary of the Committee on Culture and Csaba Kovács, Secretary of the Committee on Public Administration. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 20, 2000]

In Cluj/Kolozsvár, at a celebration of Minorities’ Day organized by the Office for the Protection of National Minorities, minority representatives called for the establishment of a center with conference rooms, a library and offices, to facilitate communication between the government and minority organizations. The institution would also have as a goal to prepare legislation on minorities. In his speech, outgoing Minister for Minority Affairs Péter Eckstein-Kovács pointed out that due to the inefficiency of the legislative process during the past four years, the government often had to issue decrees, which did not effectively resolve minority concerns. This year, the subsidy allocated for minority organizations almost doubled exceeding 63 billion Lei ($2,520,000), in addition to 3.9 billion Lei ($156,000) appropriated for jointly organized programs. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 18, 2000; Bihari Napló (Oradea/Nagyvárad, Dec. 18, 2000)]

According to a government resolution adopted today, an additional 37 communal and church properties are to be returned to their rightful owners. The resolution, which augments government decree 83/1999 [see reports of May 6 and 14, 1999], declares that the current occupants retain the right of occupation for an additional three years. Since the majority of buildings confiscated during the communist era were subsequently sold, a series of legal proceedings will presumably be initiated. [Romániai Magyar Szó (Bucharest), Jan. 4, 2001 and Krónika (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Jan. 8, 2001]

According to official results, the Rumanian Social Democracy Party President Ion Iliescu, a former communist, won the second round of the presidential election on December 10, garnering 66.38 percent of the votes. His opponent, the extreme nationalist candidate Corneliu Vadim Tudor received a staggering 33.17 percent. Although Iliescu was elected president in 1990 and 1992, it was the first time he garnered the majority of the votes in Transylvania, the western part of the country and home to the country’s ethnic Hungarian community. In fact, in the two compactly Hungarian-inhabited counties of Transylvania, Harghita/Hargita and Covasna/Kovászna, he received 90 percent of the vote [see report of December 7, 2000]. In a December 3 statement, the leadership of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania (DAHR) appealed to the electorate to vote for Iliescu as the only alternative for the country’s European integration. [MTI-Hungarian Telegraph Agency (Budapest), Dec. 12, 2000]

As a result of the November 26 elections, an additional three non-Hungarian minority representatives gained seats in the Rumanian lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, bringing the total to 18. The Ruthenian, Croatian and Macedonian communities now have parliamentary representation. With the exception of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania representatives, whose votes exceeded the minimum threshold established for national minorities, these groups could possibly provide the necessary votes for the ruling Rumanian Social Democratic Party (PDSR) to have a majority in the 345-member house. Outgoing Minister For Minority Affairs Péter Eckstein-Kovács said that while only the Roma Party has declared its commitment to the PDSR, most smaller minority parties will seek to forge an amicable relationships with the government in order to gain financial support. [MTI-Hungarian Telegraph Agency (Budapest), Dec. 8, 2000]

Csángó Days were organized in six cities across Transylvania between December 1-3 in accordance with a strategy developed by NGOs and persons interested in promoting this unique ethnic Hungarian community’s needs [see report of November 9, 2000]. The aim of the programs held in Miercurea Ciuc/Csíkszereda, Odorheiu Secuiesc/Székelyudvarhely, Sfantu Gheorghe/Sepsiszentgyörgy, Gherla/Szamosújvár, Cluj/Kolozsvár and Oradea/Nagyvárad was to familiarize local communities with the values of Csángó culture and to take up a collection to establish cultural centers in the Csángó-inhabited areas. One such institution already functions in Cleja/Klézse as a center for native-language education with additional ones planned in Pustina/Pusztina and Faraoani/Forrófalva. [MTI-Hungarian Telegraph Agency (Budapest), Dec. 2, 2000]

In a statement, the leadership of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania (DAHR) appealed to the electorate to vote for Rumanian Social Democratic Party’s (PDSR) candidate Ion Iliescu in the second round of the presidential elections scheduled for December 10. The statement emphasized that voting for Iliescu is a necessity and the only way to keep Rumania’s chances for European Union membership alive. Extreme nationalist Corneliu Vadim Tudor will run against Iliescu in the upcoming round of vote. [DAHR Bulletin (Bucharest), Dec. 3, 2000]

The United States conditions its support for the new government on among others guaranteeing the protection of minority rights, was the content of the message dispatched to the Rumanian government by President Bill Clinton on the occasion of the national day, December 1. In his letter, the President also called attention to the fact that partnership between the two countries must be based on the respect for freedom, minority rights and the rule of law. On the same day, at a reception hosted by the Rumanian Embassy in Washington, U.S. Under Secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Stuart Eizenstat pointed out that co-operation between the new Rumanian government and the United States will depend on the extent to which its leaders are willing to continue to adopt Euro-Atlantic standards, with special attention to democracy, the rule of law and human rights, including minority rights. [MTI-Hungarian Telegraph Agency (Budapest), Dec. 2, 2000]