RMDSZ submits draft bill on regional autonomy for Transylvania
Kelemen Hunor, President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), said after his party’s congress in Csíkszereda that the Alliance has submitted a draft bill to the Romanian parliament on regional autonomy for Transylvania. In the document adopted at the congress, the RMDSZ has requested that the Romanian constitution be amended to recognize national minorities as constituent elements of the state, and to provide guarantees on the use of national communities’ symbols. At the congress Zsolt Semjén – leader of the Christian Democratic People’s Party of Hungary (KDNP) and Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Hungarian Communities Abroad – stated that it is in the best interest of Hungary for Romania to be successful and for Hungarian minorities in Transylvania to feel at home. He underlined the fact that the first thing the Hungarian government looks for in all bilateral relations is how well the Hungarian minority is living in the given country. In connection with citizenship, Mr. Semjén added that what is good for Romania and Romanians with regard to Moldova is good for Hungarians with regard to Transylvania.
Victor Ponta: there might be an additional provision to the Romanian constitution which guarantees recognition for Hungarians living in Romania as a constituent part of the country
At the event, Romanian prime minister Victor Ponta said that ‘There is no realistic possibility of amending the first article of the Romanian Constitution, but there can be an additional provision which guarantees recognition for Hungarians living in Romania as a constituent part of the country, and as equal and legitimate citizens.’ With reference to the Szekler flag, Mr. Ponta added that at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe he recently proposed a regulation that would recognize local symbols in addition to the Romanian and EU flags.
