March 27, 1997

Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea stated today that the Hungarian section of the Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj/Kolozsvár will begin functioning by Fall 1997. [Népszabadság (Budapest), March 28, 1997]

March 22, 1997

Valeriu Tabara was elected President of the Rumanian National Unity Party at a special convention held in Bucharest, after Gheorghe Funar withdrew his candidacy. [Magyar Hírlap (Budapest), March 24, 1997]

Two ethnic Hungarians, Elek Csetri and Ernô Gáll, have become members of the Cluj/ Kolozsvár County Council's Committee on Street Name Approval and Change. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), March 22, 1997]

March 18, 1997

President Emil Constantinescu has initiated talks with the leadership of Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj/Kolozsvár. [Új Magyarország (Budapest), March 18, 1997]

March 17, 1997

Senators of the former President Ion Iliescu-led Rumanian Social Democracy Party and Greater Rumania Party walked out of Parliament in protest over the vote to revoke Corneliu Vadim Tudor's parliamentary immunity. Paradoxically, while in power last term, the Rumanian Social Democracy Party voted to revoke the immunity. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), March 19, 1997]

By a majority of 14:9 (with 4 absent and 1 abstention), the Cluj/Kolozsvár City Council voted to change ten street names, bringing the total percentage of Hungarian street names in the city to below three. The changed Hungarian street names are: Kôvári (to Pintea Viteazul), Breiner Béla (to Charles de Gaulle), Tyukodi Antal (to Gala Galaction), Zrínyi (to Emil Cioran) and Mikszáth Kálmán (to Simion Barnutiu). [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), March 19, 1997]

March 15, 1997

Government Spokesman Eugen Serbanescu announced today that establishment of a Hungarian section in the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj does not mean "division in two" of the institution but the concentration of all Hungarian-language groups into one department. [Magyar Hírlap (Budapest), March 17, 1997]

March 14, 1997

The Prime Minister's Spokesman expressed surprise at media interpretation of Victor Ciorbea's statement regarding the Babes-Bolyai University, which had as its goal to "dispel speculation about the establishment of a Bolyai University separate from the Victor Babes University." [Népszabadság (Budapest), March 17, 1997]

March 12, 1997

The Rector of the Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj/Kolozsvár called a "crisis meeting" of the institution's committee following Rumanian Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea's pronouncement in Budapest that the coalition partners agree on a two-step process for restoring an independent Hungarian university in the city: the creation of a separate Hungarian section within the existing structure, to be followed by full independence at a later time. [Magyar Nemzet (Budapest), March 13, 1997]

During a visit to Hungary, Rumanian Minister of Education Virgil Petrescu stated that a new ministerial directive allows the high school admission test to be taken in a minority language even if the student is applying to a Rumanian-language school — a measure, which will hopefully be extended to the university level. [Magyar Nemzet (Budapest), March 13, 1997]

March 8, 1997

The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania recommended that beginning with April 1997 the Council of Europe terminate its monitoring of Rumania's compliance with EC recommendations in the manner it has until now. At the same time, DAHR would like the Ciorbea-government to reinforce its commitment to compliance in writing. [Népszabadság (Budapest), March 8, 1997]

March 4, 1997

Former King of Rumania Michael I announced today that the royal family will settle permanently in Rumania by the year's end. [Magyar Nemzet (Budapest), March 5, 1997]

March 3, 1997

The leadership of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania has decided to rejoin the National Minorities Council, in its newly reorganized function as a consultative body to the [newly organized] Office for the Protection of National Minorities. [Népszava (Budapest), March 4, 1997]