September 16, 1999

In a retort to the Chamber of Deputies' vote against its motion to impede the establishment of minority-language universities [see report of September 14], the opposition submitted yet another amendment. To be debated in the house next week, the motion would alter the article (123) of the educational law that allows for the establishment of minority-language sections, departments and divisions at the higher level [see report of July 1]. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Sep. 16, 1999]

September 15, 1999

Leaders of the ethnic Hungarian churches (Roman Catholic, Hungarian Reformed, Lutheran and Unitarian) and Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania President Béla Markó adopted a statement unanimously supporting the establishment of a privately-funded Hungarian-language university to be based in the Transylvanian capitol Cluj/Kolozsvár. Legal Counsel to the Unitarian Church Lõrinc Mikó told the Hungarian-language daily, Szabadság, that participants also agreed to establish branches in Oradea/Nagyvárad and other heavily Hungarian-populated cities. The need to establish a foundation to prepare the groundwork for the university' s launching was also decided. The church leaders called upon the Rumanian and Hungarian governments, the Democratic Alliance, and other ethnic Hungarian organizations worldwide to financially, morally and professionally support the institution. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Sep. 16, 1999]

Due to the successful campaign by the Transylvania Trust Foundation and the Association of the Transylvanian Historic Monuments Restorers, an edifice of historic importance to the Hungarian community has been embraced by the World Monuments Fund. The Bánffy Castle in Bontida/Boncida, Cluj/Kolozs County will be included on the 2000-2001 roster of the 100 most endangered monuments in the world, a practice begun by the well-regarded organization in 1965. While calling attention to the grave condition of the castle not renovated since a fire devastated it in 1944; the WMF also provides financial assistance to monuments that possess the necessary restoration and operating plans. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Sep. 15, 1999]

September 14, 1999

In a vote of 96 to 88 with 18 abstentions, the Chamber of Deputies rejected the nationalist opposition's motion to amend the law on accreditation of universities. The amendment, submitted by the Iliescu-led Rumanian Social Democracy Party and the extremist Greater Rumania Party, would have required that universities be accredited only if Rumanian is the language of instruction in at least one faculty. Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies' Education Committee Ferenc Asztalos pointed out that the move aims to impede the establishment of a Hungarian-language university. [Népújság (Tirgu Mures/Marosvásárhely), Sep. 16, 1999]

September 11, 1999

In a formal ceremony, the Királyhágómelléki Bishopric of the Hungarian Reformed Church reoccupied its illegally confiscated headquarters thus ending a nine-year lawsuit [see report of May 6] that concluded on April 16, 1999. The court's decision brings the total number of the de facto return of property confiscated from the Hungarian community to two. The Bishopric recommended that henceforth the building also serve as the seat of the first privately-funded Hungarian-language University, the Partium Christian University. While the recently amended Education Law allows the establishment of minority-language private institutions, preparations to establish a state minority-language university, the Petôfi-Schiller Hungarian and German-Language university, continue to be protracted. A September 30, 1999 government decree paved the way for such an institution, but judicial obstructions by extremist political parties have stalled the process. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Sep. 8, 1999]

September 9, 1999

A meeting of the cabinet rejected an amendment to the Bill on Religious Affairs initiated by representatives of the Rumanian Orthodox Church to restore Orthodoxy as the state-religion and grant it privileges from the state. Lõrinc Mikó, legal counsel to the Unitarian Church, told the Hungarian-language daily Szabadság that "the granting of state religion status to the Orthodox Church would violate equality before the law, subordinate other churches in Rumania — including ethnic Hungarian churches — and discriminate against other churches in matters of state subsidies and participation in public life." Mikó also pointed out that the Bill on Religious Affairs fails to cover (1) the return of church properties illegally confiscated under communism and (2) the state financing of educational institutions run by religious denominations . State Secretary of the Department for Religious Affairs Elek Tõkés said that in a separate meeting, representatives from churches and the government discussed Bill No. 142 regulating state paid parsons salaries. The bill provides for appropriation to be tied to the state budget and the census, thereby discriminating against smaller denominations. [Szabadság (Cluj/Kolozsvár), Sep. 11, 1999]

State Secretary for Public Works and Regional Development László Borbély told the Hungarian-language daily, Népújság, that government officials from the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania will organize a meeting for ethnic Hungarian entrepreneurs in Tirgu-Mures/Marosvásárhely to provide accurate and credible information on Mures/Maros County's current economic situation. Discussed topics will be the new opportunities created by the Law on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises [see report of July 21], recent regulations on privatization, and a home-building project beginning September 15. [Népújság (Tirgu Mures/Marosvásárhely), Sep. 9, 1999]

The Rumanian-language daily, Cronica Romana, reported that the Ministry of Education has drafted legislation that would establish a multi-cultural university this year in Cernauti, the country' northeastern part. Plans are for the university to have two faculties with instruction occurring in Rumanian, Ukrainian, German and Hebrew. Preparations to establish the Petôfi-Schiller Hungarian and German-Language university — set forth in a government decree last year [see report of September 30, 1998] — continue however to be protracted. [DAHR News Watch (Bucharest), Sep. 8, 1999]

September 7, 1999

Member of Parliament and Deputy Chairman of the Mures/Maros County Council Károly Kerekes had to address attacks from fellow parliamentary representative Lazar Ladariu of the extremist Rumanian National Unity Party. Ladariu objected to a recent display of the Hungarian national flag alongside the Rumanian one in Sintgeorgiu de Mures/Marosszentgyörgy. Kerekes explained that a diplomatic courtesy of displaying the flag of a visiting foreign dignitary exists, and this was the case when an official delegation from Singeorgiu de Mures visited the Hungarian town of Zalaszentgyörgyi and now, that a reciprocal visit took place in Rumania. [DAHR Bulletin (Bucharest), Sep. 7, 1999]

September 6, 1999

At a press conference Minister for Minorities Péter Eckstein-Kovács informed the media about the activity of the inter-departmental subcommittee for Roma affairs. The minister announced that the Office for the Protection of National Minorities will open a local branch in Turnu Severin — a city in southern Transylvania — to focus on the problems of the area's largest national minority, the Roma. In addition, the minister reported that a government decree amending Law No. 118 has already been submitted to parliament. Accordingly, Jews and Roma who were deported to Transnistria between September 14, 1940 and August 13, 1944 would be compensated. Approximately 2,000 victims will benefit from this measure. [Romániai Magyar Szó and DAHR Bulletin (Bucharest), Sep. 9, 1999]

During his official visit to Arad, Minister for Minorities Péter Eckstein-Kovács met with representatives of the Hungarian, German, Serbian, Bulgarian, Roma and Jewish minorities to discuss issues such as restitution of illegally confiscated church properties and the right of ownership of school buildings in Arad. Formerly a Roman Catholic high school built with funds donated by the town's Hungarian community, the only Hungarian-language high school in Arad currently operates in the same building as the Henry Coanda Rumanian-language school. The local government has failed to provide the necessary funds for the Rumanian-language school to function in a separate building. [Romániai Magyar Szó (Bucharest), Sep. 9, 1999]

September 2,1999

During talks with Joseph Biden, member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Rumania President Béla Markó told the American dignitary that despite the ethnic Hungarian party's three-year participation in the government coalition, minority rights have not been completely realized. Markó commented that in light of the bloodshed in Kosovo, the international community should focus more on conflict-prevention and diplomatic negotiations to implement minority rights. The Alliance's president pointed out that fundamentally only two models exist to resolve minority issues: (1) relying on moderate and lawful solutions such as advocated by DAHR since its 1989 inception, or (2) resorting to violence as in the case of Kosovo. Senator Biden commended the organizations representing ethnic Hungarian communities in the countries surrounding Hungary, among others DAHR, for choosing exclusively political and lawful means to achieve their goals. He added that, in his opinion as long as minority problems are not resolved in Rumania, it will fail to comply with requirements for NATO integration and membership in other relevant international organizations. [DAHR Bulletin (Bucharest), Sep. 3, 1999]