MINELRES: Romania: Ethnic Diversity Briefs, No. 35

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Mediafax <divers@mediafax.ro>


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No. 35 / December 9, 2002

DIVERS
- reporting ethnic diversity -

SUMMARY

1. IS UDMR FACING AN INTERNAL CRISIS?
2. UDMR UPHOLDS ROMANIAN-MAGYAR PARTNERSHIP
3. YOUNG HUNGARIANS FROM TRANSYLVANIA WILLING TO LEAVE FOR HUNGARY
4. ETHNIC GERMANS ORGANIZATION, RULING PARTY SIGN COOPERATION PROTOCOL
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IS UDMR FACING AN INTERNAL CRISIS?
BUCHAREST - The Hungarian Democratic Federation of Romania (UDMR) is on
the verge of internal crisis after the critics aroused and also
intensified within the party. Dissatisfied by the current cooperation
politics pursued by UDMR with the governance party, the Reformist Unit,
the radical wing of UDMR, announced last week to boycott the future
Congress of Magyar representatives, which is deployed in 2003. As a
reply, the UDMR leader Marko Bela indicated that it couldn't be about a
split within the Union and that, as for himself, he rejects the radical
positions. (DIVERS)

UDMR UPHOLDS ROMANIAN-MAGYAR PARTNERSHIP
BUCHAREST - Ethnic Magyars from Romania are interested in
Romanian-Hungarian relations becoming closer and many-leveled - pointed
out Bela Marko, the UDMR leader. He expressed his conviction that the
latest talks held recently by the Romanian Prime-Minister Adrian Nastase
and Peter Medgyessy, the Hungarian Premier, triggered tangible results
not only politically, but also in terms of economic relations, for the
satisfaction of mutual interests. In this context, the UDMR leader
appreciated that the declaration signed by the two Government chiefs
related to the strategic partnership holds a lot of significance. At the
same time, the UDMR chairman mentioned that the document is also
significant regarding the stability condition in the entire region and
also assures a benefic setting for the development of the bilateral
relations. (DIVERS)

YOUNG HUNGARIANS FROM TRANSYLVANIA WILLING TO LEAVE FOR HUNGARY
MIERCUREA CIUC - Most young Hungarians from Harghita and Covasna
counties (Szeckler Region in central Romania) want to leave for Hungary
in order to find jobs, according to a poll presented by the Hungarian
Ministry of Youth and Sports (HMYS). In accordance with the poll, 79
percent of the canvassed youth plans to find a job in Hungary, while 21
percent aims at Germany, the USA, Canada and other countries. State
secretary of HMYS, Ocsovaly Tamas, stated as alarming the fact that most
young people from Szeckler Region expressed their intention to leave for
Hungary. In addition, 59 percent of the canvassed young people pointed
out not to be eager in doing any courses in academic education field, 37
percent is in favor and 4 percent undecided. Out of the faculty eager,
15 percent is willing to do it in Hungary, 2 percent in another country
from abroad, while the rest in Romania. At the same time, 32 percent of
the canvassed is in favor of working abroad. (DIVERS)

ETHNIC GERMANS ORGANIZATION, RULING PARTY SIGN COOPERATION PROTOCOL
SIBIU - Romanian ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) - Sibiu county
(central Romania) and the Democrat Forum of the Germans from Romania
(DFGR) signed on Thursday, November 28, a cooperation protocol at
political and administrative level. Besides the mutual political
support, the protocol also enclosed registration of DFGR requests
related to the retrocession of the properties held before 1948. As well,
the protocol stipulates the allocation, out of the future's budget, of
the funds necessary to get Sibiu and Medias towns modernized, where
significant German communities live. (DIVERS)

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