MINELRES: Ethnic Minority Briefs No. 64

[MINELRES moderator]

Divers Bulletin <edivers_buletin@mediafax.ro>


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No. 64 / July 21, 2003

DIVERS
- reporting ethnic diversity -

SUMMARY

1. FIRST ROMANIAN SENTENCED FOR NATIONALIST-CHAUVINIST PROPAGANDA
2. HUNGARY, ROMANIA END QUARREL OVER ETHNICITY
3. PSD AND UDMR PROTOCOL IS OUT OF QUESTION IN COVASNA
4. GOVERNMENT DECIDES SETTING UP NATIONAL ROMA CULTURE CENTER
5. ROMANIANS FROM SZEKERLAND COMPLAIN ABOUT DISCRIMINATION

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FIRST ROMANIAN SENTENCED FOR NATIONALIST-CHAUVINIST PROPAGANDA
BRASOV - A local court in Brasov city (central Romania) on July 16,
sentenced Grigore Oprita to two years and six months of jail under the
charges of having deployed nationalist-chauvinist propaganda and to two
years and six months of jail under the charges of spreading, selling,
manufacturing as well as holding fascist, racist and xenophobe symbols.
The offenses are stipulated in article 4 of Governmental Ordinance no
31/2002. Through this decision, Grigore Oprita becomes the first
Romanian citizen sentenced after 1989 for his shared opinions and ideas.
Oprita is accused of charge which aims at "prohibiting the organizations
and symbols of fascist, xenophobe or racist nature as well as at banning
glorification of persons guilty of having committed crimes against peace
and mankind". Due to the Law of pardoning, come in effect in autumn
2002, yet Oprita will exert no jail punishment for the deeds he was
charged with before autumn 2002. Nevertheless, the accused judged for
his ideology will be interdicted to vote and to exert other civil
rights. "I do not consider myself as a fascist, extremist or a
legionary. All my notes, which were lifted by police officers, represent
only the recovery of some old histories, a research work of history. My
volumes were legally published and sold in bookshops. They have never
been banned by law, in the photos they seized I appear next to members
of New Right Christian Forum and to my former colleagues from "Gazeta de
Vest" magazine. I am only a sympathizer of this organization, and the
publication has never been interdicted by law", explained Oprita, quoted
by local press. (DIVERS)

HUNGARY, ROMANIA END QUARREL OVER ETHNICITY
BUCHAREST - Hungary and Romania said last week they had resolved a
dispute over Hungarian legislation that gives benefits to ethnic
Hungarians living abroad, Reuters reported. Tensions surrounding the
issue of ethnicity have eased in recent years, but Bucharest has said
the law, under which Hungarians living abroad are entitled to ID cards
and financial aid, is an attempt to exert influence beyond its borders.
"I am glad we succeeded, after more than two years of intense
negotiations, to end the sometimes controversial and counter-productive
debates on the minority law," said Romania's Foreign Minister Mircea
Geoana. Under the deal struck on 18 July, Hungarian state subsidies will
now go to institutions promoting Hungarian culture rather than to
individuals, a Foreign Ministry official said. The bilateral accord,
which will be signed by the Prime Ministers of the two countries this
autumn, also stipulates that Hungary can still issue ID cards for ethnic
Hungarians living in Romania, but that these will not resemble
passports. Under pressure from the EU - which Hungary is set to join
next May - Budapest last month rescinded the most controversial parts of
the law, including a description of Hungarians as a unified nation
spanning across borders. Hungary's Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs, on a
one-day official visit to Bucharest, said the minority law was a way for
his country to ensure the cultural identity of ethnic Hungarians outside
its borders is preserved. (DIVERS)

PSD AND UDMR PROTOCOL IS OUT OF QUESTION IN COVASNA
SFINTU GHEORGHE � Chairman of Hungarian Democratic Federation of Romania
(UDMR) in Covasna, Albert Almos, said on July 10 that, after six months
of expectation, signing a local protocol with local branch of ruling
Social Democratic Party PSD is out of question. According to chairman of
UDMR Covasna, during half a year the representatives of the two
political parties have not found any time to lead negotiations, thus
signing a protocol is useless. In opinion of Albert Almos, such a
situation is preferred by the leadership of PSD Covasna, which does not
want cooperation at local level. "It is possible debates to be held, but
only with the participation of the central leadership of the parties",
added chairman of UDMR Covasna. (DIVERS)

GOVERNMENT DECIDES SETTING UP NATIONAL ROMA CULTURE CENTER
BUCHAREST � On the session of July 10, the Executive passed the
establishment of National Roma Culture Center, a public institution with
legal personality, in subordination of Ministry of Culture and Faiths.
The center �s goal is to promote the Roma�s culture and traditions, so
that they could be esteemed and to contribute to completing Romania�s
culture and artistic patrimony. This institution�s establishment is one
of prior actions enclosed in the action plan called "Rromii 2002 -
Impreuna pentru Europa" (The Roma 2002-Together for Europe), drawn up by
the Ministry of Culture and Faiths. The current and capital expenses of
the Center are financed by own sources and subsidies granted from the
State budget. At the same time, it was also enacted the transfer of an
estate made up of the construction itself and the afferent land, from
State private property and from the administration of "Romaniafilm"
Autonomous Film Distribution Regie, into the public State property and
to administration of National Roma Culture Center. (DIVERS)

ROMANIANS FROM SZEKERLAND COMPLAIN ABOUT DISCRIMINATION
MIERCUREA CIUC � Chairman of Deputy Chamber, Valer Dorneanu, met on July
12, at Izvorul Muresului, with representatives of Romanian community
from Harghita and Covasna (Tinutul Secuiesc - Szekerland), who presented
him the difficulties they face in keeping their national and cultural
identity. The representatives of the Romanians underlined that the
separation of schools based on ethnical criteria proved to be a
catastrophe and made nothing but to deepen the rupture between Romanians
and ethnic Hungarians and to prevent the development of
communication-based co-inhabitation. The manager of European Studies
Center Covasna, Ioan Lacatusu, added that "Romanians are subjected to an
excessive discrimination" against the Magyars, while most of the local
projects are gained by local Hungarian community. Chairman of the Deputy
Chamber, Valer Dorneanu, stated he does not agree with segregation of
schools based on ethnical criteria, but it was accounted the will of the
Magyar community to have schools in mother language, chiefly because it
is a European right, stipulated in European Charta of regional
languages. "With radical solutions we cannot assure normal
co-inhabitation with Magyars and to access Europe together", stated
chairman of Deputy Chamber. (DIVERS)

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