MINELRES: Romania: Ethnic Diversity Briefs, No.42

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Mediafax <divers@mediafax.ro>


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No. 42 / February 10, 2003


DIVERS
- reporting ethnic diversity -

SUMMARY

1. UDMR CONGRESS RE-ELECTS LEADER, APPROVE NEW STATUTES
2. TOKES LOSES POSITION AS HONORARY CHAIRMAN OF UDMR
3. COOPERATINON PROTOCOL BETWEEN RULING PARTIES IN ROMANIA AND HUNGARY
4. TRANSILVANIA BANAT LEAGUE BRINGS ACTION AGAINST ROMANIA AT THE ECHR
5. ROMA COUTURE SHOW

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UDMR CONGRESS RE-ELECTS LEADER, APPROVE NEW STATUTES
SATU MARE- Marko Bela has been re-elected as chairman of the Hungarian
Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) at the party congress held in
Satu-Mare on 31 January-2 February. Marko, the only applicant for this
position, thanked those having voted against him. He pointed out it is
necessary to sign strategic partnership with the governing party and
with any other party so as to improve the situation of the ethnic
Hungarian community. The UDMR leader said that the Union would lead
cooperation with the Romanian and Hungarian governments, but only in
favor of Magyar ethnicity's interests. The UDMR representatives passed
six resolutions relating to the change of Romanian education law,
European integration, retrocession of church's goods, as well as the
economic and demographic condition. According to the decision, UDMR
further upholds the new form of the Budapest-initiative over the Status
Law, changed as a result of the talks held with the countries involved
and with the European institutions, in order "to maintain its essence",
that is to offer as many opportunities and facilities as possible to
strengthen up the Hungarian identity. The congress also decided that
elections for the Council of Representatives (UDMR's internal
parliament) should be held by the end of May. (DIVERS)

TOKES LOSES POSITION AS HONORARY CHAIRMAN OF UDMR
SATU MARE - One of the most delicate moments in UDMR Congress stood for
making the decision on abolishing the position of honorary chairman
position of the Union, held by the Bishop Laszlo Tokes. Finally, the
congress decided to abolish the function, thus depriving Tokes of his
position in the organization. Tokes has long been the actual head of the
"radical" factions within the UDMR. He was not present at the gathering,
but vowed not to leave the organization and said he gained the honorary
chairmanship after being "elected by the people" who backed him during
the 1989 Timisoara uprising. (DIVERS)

COOPERATINON PROTOCOL BETWEEN RULING PARTIES IN ROMANIA AND HUNGARY
SATU-MARE - The chairman of Romanian Social-Democratic party (PSD),
Adrian Nastase, and the leader of the Hungarian Socialist Party (PSU),
Laszlo Kovacs, on January 31, signed in Satu Mare cooperation and
partnership protocol through which the two political parties agreed to
provide mutual support in leading foreign affairs politics and to hold
consultancies before making a decision internally or internationally
relating to national minorities from Romania and Hungary. PSD and PSU
settled to fully observe the responsibilities and engagements stipulated
by the international agreements and by other documents referring to
preservation of cultural, religious, linguistic and ethnical identity of
the national minorities living in Romania and Hungary.
Through the document, PSD and PSU settled that the representatives of
the two parties' leaderships to meet each year, by turns in Romania and
Hungary, and to organize periodical consulting sessions held by work
departments and groups. (DIVERS)

TRANSILVANIA BANAT LEAGUE BRINGS ACTION AGAINST ROMANIA AT THE ECHR
CLUJ-NAPOCA - The Transilvania Banat League will submit a complaint
against the Romanian State at the European Court for Human Rights in
Strasbourg, as stated on February 3 the chairman of the organization,
Sabin Gherman. He indicated that the organization he runs was outlawed
by means of a decision passed by the Bucharest Appeal Court,
"appropriating the Public Ministry's point of view, according to which
regionalization affects the Law of national security". He claimed that,
according to the official position of the Central Executive Bureau of
Transilvania Banat League, the decision of the court violates the basic
right of association stipulated by the Conventions from Helsinki and
Copenhagen, respectively the Romanian law on political parties.
According to Gherman, besides the complaint he is to submit to ECHR, the
Transilvania - Banat League will present the situation to the European
Parliament, through European Free Alliance, whose member he is. The
program of Transilvania-Banat League, launched early last year in Cluj,
indicates that Romania should be divided into seven regions -
Transilvania, Banat, Oltenia, Muntenia, Dobrogea, Moldova and Bucovina -
to be governed by a Regional Chamber, elected by general suffrage and
that would hold secondary legislative power, having as clause general
empower in the region. (DIVERS)

ROMA COUTURE SHOW
BUCHAREST - Pret-a porter collection consisting of Roma influence was
presented on January 30, on the stage of a Bucharest Theatre, as part of
a show, organized by Romani C.R.I.S.S. foundation, which combined the
tradition of the Gypsies with the modern trends. The 10 models,
belonging to Fashion House "Deja-vu", wore 35 outfits of autumn-winter
collection crafting the particularity of Roma clothes (largeness, vivid
colors, wide and sharp collars etc.). The show's climax stood for the
stunning appearance of a bride: white dress with golden ornaments,
chockers in her hair and on the sleeves. (DIVERS)

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