December 31, 1997

Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania President Béla Markó stated that his party favors the appointment of new Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu. Commenting on the resignations of two ministers in a week, namely, Foreign Minister Adrian Severin and Minister for Transportation Traian Basescu, Markó stated that "they, undeniably, refer to the fact that the government coalition is struggling with serious hardships." [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 31, 1997]

December 26, 1997

The New York Times published a two-column article entitled ``Hungarians and Rumanians at Odds in Transylvania‘’ and based on an Agence France-Presse report wherein they misleadingly state that "tensions are boiling up in Transylvania between Romanians and ethnic Hungarians who want autonomy." The influential American daily regrettably adopts many false claims from the Agency report, among others, that "the Hungarian group also supports suggestions that ethnic Hungarians should be granted double nationality, Romanian and Hungarian." The report, in fact, seriously distorts present-day circumstances by giving voice to a local leader of the extreme right Rumanian National Unity Party, Liviu Medrea’s views. Medrea calls the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania, a member of the reform-minded government coalition, a group "that will always pursue its own interests, to the detriment of Romania’s interest." [The New York Times, Dec. 26, 1997]

December 23, 1997

Rumanian Foreign Minister Adrian Severin announced his resignation after an investigation failed to thoroughly back up his allegations made in October that two or three unspecified newspaper editors and prominent politicians had been in the employ of foreign intelligence services. With Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea accepting the resignation, Severin continued to stand by his allegation stating that "I will not retract my words, and I am convinced that what I said was absolutely true." He also expressed hopes that his statement would be verified by the Rumanian intelligence agencies, provided they performed their duties properly. Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania Executive President Csaba Takács praised Severin as a European-style politician and noted his commitment to the defense of minority rights. The new Foreign Minister will be Andrei Plesu, a prominent writer and editor-in-chief of the intellectual periodical, Dilema, who had been Education Minister in the first post-communist government led by Petre Roman. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 24, 29, 1997]

December 22, 1997

After a 12 hour-long meeting, the Supreme Defense Council, chaired by President Emil Constantinescu, issued a statement concerning Rumanian Foreign Minister Adrian Severin’s claims made three months ago that various unnamed newspaper editors and prominent politicians had been the willing or unwitting accomplices of foreign intelligence services. The investigation conducted by the Rumanian intelligence bodies, SRI and SIE, "confirmed numerous facts furnished by Adrian Severin." However, details regarding specific names could not be confirmed, for which he must bear the "political consequences," said the Defense Council’s report. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 24, 1997]

December 20, 1997

At a conference on "Central and Eastern European Ethnic Minorities" organized by the Project on Ethnic Relations in Baden, Austria, Democratic Party Vice President Cristian Dumitrescu asserted that "international public opinion holds that Rumania achieved a model solution to the minority problem by inviting the ethnic Hungarian party into the government coalition." Commenting on the statement, Rumanian Minister for Minority Affairs György Tokay stated that any exemplary solution of minority issues is not a reality, but an "opportunity" yet to be attained. "If the coalition partners adhere to agreements . . . the Rumanian model can, in fact, become a reality," said Tokay. In response to a statement that coalition partners have differing views in the debate on educational reform, Dumitrescu stated that "regardless of this, all parties will continue to support the coalition in its present form." [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 22, 23, 1997]

December 19, 1997

After talks with Hungarian State Secretary for Political Affairs Csaba Tabajdi, Rumanian Minister for Minority Affairs György Tokay stated that "After eight decades, this is the first opportunity for the Rumanian and Hungarian nations to coexist in a European manner. This effort must not fail." While Tokay believes that both countries’ governments and parliaments are striving to fulfill their promises, it is of key importance that the Rumanian coalition fulfill its pledge to amend the Law on Education and enable the creation of a Hungarian-language university. "If this were not to happen, the coalition could not survive in its current form," said Tokay. [News Mirror — DAHR MTI Press Service (Bucharest), Dec. 19-21, 1997]

December 18, 1997

At a year-end Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania press conference, President Béla Markó concluded that "without adhering to coalition principles and agreements, the government cannot work effectively." He was referring to the Democratic Party’s latest vote against a government bill in retaliation against the Peasant Party’s previous objection to another coalition agreement. He also emphasized that the recent nationalistic, anti-Hungarian campaign has targeted not only DAHR but the entire government and is waged by forces, which want to hinder Rumania’s Euro-Atlantic integration and obliterate hard-won results. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 19, 1997]

Top government Secretary Romus Opris raised the possibility of dismissing several County Prefects but gave no details. The list may include Zoltán Dézsi, the ethnic Hungarian Prefect of Harghita/Hargita County. Opris is also considering reshuffling the Prefect offices among coalition parties, while maintaining the number of offices each party is entitled to hold. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 19, 1997]

December 17, 1997

Christian Democratic National Peasant Party Senator Vasile Lupu voiced the opinion that the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania should be rewarded by allowing Hungarian-language instruction of history and geography, because "the main coalition party needs a loyal partner, and we ought to be more responsive to its needs." His call for greater toleration was based on a recent vote in the Chamber of Deputies, to adopt a bill conferring interim legislative powers to the government during recess, where even a single "no" vote on the part of any DAHR MP would have defeated the government bill. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 18, 1997]

December 16, 1997

Over the objections of President Emil Constantinescu not to violate the coalition parties’ pledge to ethnic Hungarians, an overwhelming majority of the Senate (105:19) approved severe restrictions to a government decree amending the Education Law. The restrictive provisions, demanded by Chairman of the Senate Education Committee George Pruteanu, now prohibit the establishment of a minority-language faculty or university and reinstate several discriminatory provisions of the earlier. Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania President Béla Markó found the outcome of the secret voting not surprising, however, he hopes the decision will be reversed in the Chamber of Deputies with coalition partners exercising greater discipline. He reiterated that DAHR cannot participate in a government, which tolerates the erosion of minority rights. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 17, 1997]

December 15, 1997

Christian Democratic National Peasant Party Secretary and Senator Radu Vasile called DAHR’s decision to stay in the government "correct and realistic," however, he criticized the party for raising specific conditions. While he approved the right to found a Hungarian-language university, he ruled out minority-language instruction of geography and history. Vasile denounced Senator George Pruteanu’s previous statement that a party leadership’s decision is not binding on MPs [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 16, 1997]

December 13, 1997

A special Conference of the Council of Representatives of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania, the organization’s highest decision-making body, in Cluj/Kolozsvár concluded that withdrawal from the government would not benefit either Rumanian society or ethnic Hungarian communities. Therefore, DAHR will remain in the coalition, with its participation tied to specific conditions: (1) the government must stop ignoring anti-Hungarian propaganda, and (2) problems concerning native-language education and the return of church assets need to be resolved. DAHR Executive Committee President Csaba Takács stated that the party did not aim to impose new conditions on the coalition, it merely seeks fulfillment of the previously adopted government program. [Népszabadság (Budapest), Dec. 15, 1997; Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 15, 1997]

December 12, 1997

Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea publicly denounced Chairman of the Education Committee Senator George Pruteanu’s political stance and his effort to call for a referendum in the current dispute over removal of restrictions on minority educational rights. In the meantime, according to unconfirmed reports the Christian Democratic National Party intends to dismiss Pruteanu on grounds of obstructing the government’s commitment to native-language education for ethnic Hungarians, including the creation of a minority-language university. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 13, 1997]

Éva Cs. Gyímesi, Professor at the Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj/Kolozsvár, issued a public letter to Education Minister Andrei Marga voicing her concern that except for the ethnic Hungarian faculty and a few other professors, the academic community is not adhering to the multicultural nature of the university Thus, she proposes to incorporate an educationally and administratively independent Hungarian faculty within the Babes-Bolyai university while maintaining that, in principle, "a national minority like us [ethnic Hungarians] is entitled to possess its own higher educational institutions." [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 12, 1997; News Mirror — DAHR MTI Press Service (Bucharest), Dec. 15, 1997]

December 11, 1997

In a public letter, four influential Rumanian intellectuals — Gabriel Andreescu, Doina Cornea, Smaranda Enache and Renate Weber — have asked the Council of Representatives of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania, the organization’s highest decision-making body to consider the consequences of withdrawing from the government coalition, which in their opinion would result in the triumph of ultra-nationalist forces, lessen Rumania’s chances for EU membership, make the coalition unstable and impair minority rights protection. [Magyar Hírlap (Budapest), Dec. 12, 1997]

December 10, 1997

The President will refuse to approve any education law which does not fully guarantee the right to establish an independent minority-language university — was the message of a crisis meeting between President Emil Constantinescu and Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania leaders. They also concluded that Chairman of the Education Committee, Senator George Pruteanu must be dismissed for violating the coalition agreement. DAHR President Béla Markó called the meeting "important and very positive, although it should have occurred a long time ago." [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 11, 1997]

Following a Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania session, Parliamentary Deputy Sándor Kónya-Hamar stated that Rumanian political forces should finally come to the realization that the fundamental condition for Rumania’s EU membership is the protection of minority rights. Since coalition members recently refused to adhere to previously adopted agreements, the coalition’s credibility has been severely damaged abroad, while attempts to create a role-model solution for minority questions have proven futile. "The political partners need to be aware that not only ethnic Hungarian, but Rumanian interests are also at stake," said Kónya-Hamar [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 11, 1997]

December 9, 1997

Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania ministers have suspended participation in the government after a large majority of the Senate voted for Rumanian-language instruction of history and geography in all Hungarian-schools and prevented the restoration of a minority-language university despite a previously adopted government decree allowing broad minority-language education rights. DAHR President Béla Markó stated that the coalition partners have broken their commitments by changing other minority-related clauses as well, which they had guaranteed in an agreement last week signed by the Presidents of all four coalition partners: Ion Diaconescu, Christian Democratic National Peasants Party, Petre Roman, Democratic Party, Mircea Ionescum Quintus, National Liberal Party, and Béla Markó. "DAHR cannot accept an alliance in which agreements and compromise solutions are not respected," said the President, showing the agreement to the press. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 10, 1997]

Over two hundred journalists rallied in the streets of Cluj/Kolozsvár protesting the court verdict which compelled Marius Avram, editor of Stirea, to pay a 100,000 Lei fine and 6 million Lei in damages (totaling more than an annual average salary) for his article criticizing the city’s Mayor, Gheorghe Funar. Many participants of the demonstration carried chains with them, while others symbolically plastered their mouths. [News Mirror — DAHR MTI Press Service (Bucharest), Dec. 9, 1997]

December 8, 1997

Newly appointed Education Minister Andrei Marga stated in his acceptance speech that his primary goal was to accelerate educational reforms which, in turn, would foster scientific research and transform the financial basis of education adjusting it to European norms. However, he also warned that if reforms failed to achieve considerable progress during the first few months, old interest groups would prevail, impeding any further implementation of those reforms. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 9, 1997]

December 4, 1997

In a vote of 277-124, the Parliament approved the latest government reshuffle following a debate, in which former President Ion Iliescu stood on the same platform as extreme nationalist Corneliu Vadim Tudor who blamed the government for destroying national interests. Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea stated, among others, that "We have introduced reforms concerning the situation of minorities so that all citizens of Rumania will feel themselves at home." [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 5, 1997]

Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania Executive Committee President Csaba Takács called for reevaluating the coalition agreement, because DAHR was excluded from the political decision-making process during the recent government reshuffle. He stated that DAHR’s participation in the coalition has helped the government gain Western legitimacy and if the coalition partners renege on their promise, DAHR must seriously reconsider any further cooperation. "Rumania’s population is far less concerned with the bilingual place-name signs and the language of instruction of history and geography. People do worry, however, about the failure of the reform process, which the government is trying to whitewash by allowing an intensifying propaganda against ethnic Hungarians," said Takács. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 4, 1997]

December 3, 1997

Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania President Béla Markó convened the Council of Representatives, the organization’s highest decision-making body, for December 13, 1997 to discuss political issues on the agenda, including the party’s position in the current dispute over removal of restrictions on minority educational rights. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 3, 1997]

December 2, 1997

Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea announced the long-anticipated government reshuffle, intending, among others, to hasten reforms and stabilize the country’s economy. That the Premier relies on independent experts is indicated by the appointment of Ilie Serbanescu, the noted economic analyst, as Reform Minister, and the national bank’s leading economist, Daniel Daianu as Finance Minister. Andrei Marga, the President of Babes-Bolyai University, became the new Education Minister, who, in principle, is not opposed to an independent Hungarian-language university in Cluj/Kolozsvár. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 3, 1997; Magyar Nemzet (Budapest), Dec. 3, 1997]

In Cluj/Kolozsvár, despite Mayor Gheorghe Funar’s intimidating remarks (see report of November 25), a Finnish cultural event did take place in both Finnish and Hungarian, while simultaneous Rumanian interpretation was provided. State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Gabriel Gafita affirmed Funar’s position that Rumania’s official language is Rumanian, although he reported that Finnish Ambassador Mikko Heikinheimo adhered to Rumanian laws. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Dec. 4, 1997]