MINELRES: Romania: Ethnic Minority Briefs No.63

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Divers Bulletin <edivers_buletin@mediafax.ro>


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No. 63 / July 14, 2003

DIVERS
- reporting ethnic diversity -

SUMMARY

1. INTERETHNIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT UNDER PRIME MINISTER'S SUBORDINATION
2. UNION OF MAGYAR CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN TINUTUL SECUIESC
3. SERVICE IN ROMANES LANGUAGE

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INTERETHNIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT UNDER PRIME MINISTER'S SUBORDINATION
BUCHAREST � As a result of Government's reshuffling, starting with July
10, the Interethnic Relations Department was passed under Prime
Minister's subordination. The department will be run by Serban
Mihailescu, State secretary and Minister coordinating Government's
secretariat general, with the help of the two State sub-secretaries in
charge by now, namely Marko Attila and Ivan Gheorghe. The transfer of
the Interethnic Relations Department under the Prime Minister's
subordination is due to dissolution of Public Information Ministry
wherein DRI was part of. The department will be in charge with no extra
or less tasks. "It is not about a substantial change, but only another
subordination", pointed out State sub-secretary Marko Attila. (DIVERS)

UNION OF MAGYAR CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN TINUTUL SECUIESC
ODORHEIU SECUIESC � Magyar civic organizations in Tinutul Secuiesc on
Thursday July 3 set up in a union run by mayor of Odorheiu Secuiesc,
Szasz Jeno. The Civic Union of Magyars at present encloses 120 members.
The mayor of Odorheiu Secuiesc appreciated that although the union is of
civic nature, still it can stand for a political alternative for the
Magyars in Tinutul Secuiesc and will be successful as "there are many
dissatisfactions among the Magyars". Szasz added that Civic Union of
Magyars would participate to the local elections. In addition, Szasz
expressed his conviction that the Union will uphold the establishment of
the National Union of Magyars, as well as its initiatives, mentioning
the territorial autonomy and double citizenship issues. (DIVERS)

SERVICE IN ROMANES LANGUAGE
SACELE � Starting Monday July 7, the Roma people of Pentecostal religion
in Sacele municipal, Brasov County, enjoy a new church where the
services are exclusively held in Romanes language, according to Radio
Romania. As the quoted source says, this is the first service of such a
kind held in Europe. Mayor of Sacele, Gheorghe Petru Mutu, and bishop
Vasile Ghica appreciate that socialization process for the over 2,000
members of this community can be only in the benefit of faith. (DIVERS)
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