Nationalists to stage counter demonstration against ethnic Hungarian
group
Alecs Iancu
Tudor wants to call 100,000 people for a counter-rally to the Szeklers'
march.
Szeklers' intention to hold a rally and declare autonomy stirs up
conflicting statements on the political stage and is likely to reignite
the conflict between the Hungarian minority and Romanians.
A nationalist leader has threatened to hold a demonstration in a city
where an ethnic Hungarian group is planning to declare autonomy to
celebrate Hungary's national day.
Corneliu Vadim Tudor, who heads the Greater Romanian Party, said Friday
he was angry at the lack of reaction from Romanian authorities to what
he said was an illegal move by the Szeklers, a small ethnic Hungarian
group.
Tudor said he planned to call some 100,000 Greater Romania sympathizers
to the central city of Odorheiu Secuiesc, where the Szeklers said they
planned to declare territorial autonomy on March 15 - Hungary's
national holiday.
Another member of the party, Gheorghe Funar, said his organization will
not give up the demonstration without a guarantee form President Traian
Basescu that the Szeklers will not pursue an "anti-Romanian action."
The Szeklers arrived in Transylvania in the 11th century. There are a
few thousand Szeklers, who are allied with Romania's 1.4 million ethnic
Hungarians.
On Friday, President Basescu met with Jeno Szasz, mayor of Ordorheiu
Secuiesc, to discuss the situation of ethnic Hungarians in Romania.
Szasz invited Basescu to Wednesday's demonstration, saying it would be
peaceful, state news agency Rompres reported.
The head of the Hungarian Democratic Alliance, Marko Bela, welcomed
Basescu's initiative to talk with Szasz and said he did not see any
real danger in Szeklers' intention to hold a rally on March 15 in
Odorheiu Secuiesc.
"If it's about acknowledging the wanted autonomy, very well. The
Hungarian Democratic Alliance's program also includes provisions to
obtain various forms of autonomy," Marko said.
The ethnic Hungarian party leader also underlined that, although he
does not agree to the rally, "nobody is allowed to limit people's right
to gather and express their opinion."
A former member of the Democratic Party, Lavinia Sandru, criticized
Basescu over his handling of the situation and said the president
should have been firmer with the Szeklers.
She also said Basescu is trying to leave the impression that he is a
patriot and will take care of things, but all this is just a show for
his image.
Sandru also said that Basescu has no knowledge about what is going on
in Transylvania and what the relations are between Hungarians and
Romanians there.
In relation to the Szeklers' planned rally, Prime Minister Calin
Popescu Tariceanu said the March 15 event will be one of the moments of
free expression in Romania. However, he warned about the risks that
Szeklers' declaration of autonomy may cross constitutional boundaries.
Underlining that the authorities are prepared to defend the law,
Tariceanu expressed his hope that the Szeklers are mature enough to
celebrate March 15 as it should be celebrated.
Relations between Romanians and ethnic Hungarians have improved in
recent years.
Months after Romania's 1989 anti-communist revolt, six died during a
riot between Romanians and ethnic Hungarians in March 1990 in the
northwest city of Targu Mures.
Hungarians celebrate on March 15 the anniversary of the 1848 revolution
and the war of independence against Habsburg rule.
Transylvania, a territory that has changed hands several times in
history, and has been part of Romania since World War I, now is
inhabited by more than 6 million Romanians and 1.4 million ethnic
Hungarians.
An AP transcript was also used for this report.
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