MINELRES: Romania: Ethnic Diversity Briefs, No.47

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Mediafax <divers@mediafax.ro>


---------------------------------------------------------------
No. 47 / March 17, 2003

DIVERS
- reporting ethnic diversity -

SUMMARY
1. UDMR REFORMIST BLOC TURNED INTO POLITICAL MOVEMEMENT
2. NEW HUNGARIAN MOVEMENT IN ROMANIA
3. ROMA MINORITY IN THE TOP OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION
4. HELP FOR ETHNIC UKRAINIANS IN ROMANIA
5. EU BACKS MOLDOVA'S FEDERALIZATION PLAN...
6. ...AS GAGAUZ-YERI REITERATES DEMAND TO BE SEPARATE COMPONENT OF
FUTURE MOLDOVAN FEDERATION

---------------------------------------------------------------

UDMR REFORMIST BLOC TURNED INTO POLITICAL MOVEMEMENT
TIRGU MURES - The members of the Reformist Bloc within the Democrat
Union of Magyars from Romania (UDMR) decided at their congress held on
Saturday, March 8 to turn the structure into a political movement. The
representatives of the newly created Reformist Movement believed
necessary to set up an alternative political movement to the UDMR,
deeming the Union does no longer represent the real interests of the
ethnic Hungarians in Romania. The representatives of the new structure
say that nevertheless they will further lead cooperation with UDMR
(meaning that they will not run separately from the UDMR in local and
parliamentary elections), but might run against it as individual
candidates in local elections. The position as chairman, as a result of
the elections, was assigned to the deputy of Bihor Szilagyi Zsolt,
former vice-chairman of the Reformist Block, elected on all accounts.
The bloc is largely supportive of deposed UDMR former Honorary Chairman
Bishop Laszlo Toekes. As a reply to these events, the UDMR chairman
Marko Bela deems the representatives of the Reformist Bloc will not
succeed in solving the internal crisis by creating a movement, able to
activate outside UDMR. Marko Bela also indicated the newly created
structure is "ambiguous ", as it is not known yet whether it is going to
act as "workshop" within UDMR or rather a party. (DIVERS)


NEW HUNGARIAN MOVEMENT IN ROMANIA
CLUJ-NAPOCA - On Friday, March 14, in Cluj was set up a
"Self-Administration of the Hungarian Community in Romania," which
according to Reformed Bishop Laszlo Tokes "should operate as an internal
parliament of the ethnic Magyars minority". Previously, Tokes said the
new organization will not be directed against the activities of the
Hungarian Democratic Federation of Romania (UDMR), being rather
"complementary and converging" with those activities. The Reformed
Bishop pointed out the accomplishment of "Magyars internal parliament"
is a result of the Magyars' legitimate needs, while the compulsoriness
in setting up the self-administration forms would have belonged,
according to these documents, even to the Union's leadership. The aim is
not to split the UDMR, he said, adding, "We want the same things that
the UDMR wants." He also said he does not intend to resign from the
UDMR, of which he was honorary chairman until recently. (DIVERS)


ROMA MINORITY IN THE TOP OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION
BUCHAREST - As pertaining the activity report set up by the National
Council for Fighting Discrimination (CNCD), most of the complaints refer
to discriminations on age, race and sex. Most Romanians complain over
being discriminated on age criteria, especially when they ask for a job,
stated CNCD chairman, Cristian Jura. Roma minority and women are also
subject to discrimination. During January 1 - February 28, 2003, the
Council indicated other 100 discrimination cases, most of them likened
to work relations, Roma minority, handicapped persons and sexual
minority. (DIVERS)


HELP FOR ETHNIC UKRAINIANS IN ROMANIA
CERNAUTI - This week it has been closed the first session of "Ukrainians
for Ukrainians" programme, initiated by youth organizations from North
Bucovina (Ukraine), as pertaining Radio Ucraina. The purpose of the
action lies in granting significant support to the conational resident
in Romania. So far, in less than two months there have been collected or
purchased over two thousand volumes of belles letters, textbooks and
publications in Ukrainian language, which are to be donated to Ukrainian
minority from Romania. (DIVERS)


EU BACKS MOLDOVA'S FEDERALIZATION PLAN...
CHISINAU - Council of Europe rapporteur on Moldova Josette Durrieu said
in Chisinau, on 12 March, that the council backs the OSCE plan for
Moldova's federalization, RFE/RL's Chisinau bureau reported. She called
President Vladimir Voronin's proposal to work out a new constitution in
cooperation with Transdniester representatives "a courageous
initiative." Durrieu also expressed support for Moldova's efforts to
secure its border with Ukraine in order to prevent smuggling from
Transdniester. Durrieu said that she and her fellow rapporteur on
Moldova, Lauri Vahtre, noted during their recent visit to Chisinau an
improvement both in regard to respect for democratic norms and in the
country's social and economic development. (DIVERS)


...AS GAGAUZ-YERI REITERATES DEMAND TO BE SEPARATE COMPONENT OF FUTURE
MOLDOVAN FEDERATION
CHISINAU - Gagauz-Yeri Governor Georgi Tabunshik on 11 March reiterated
at a meeting with the two Council of Europe rapporteurs on Moldova the
demand that the autonomous region be a separate "subject" of the
envisaged Moldovan federation, RFE/RL's Chisinau bureau reported.
Council of Europe rapporteur Josette Durrieu said the envisaged
federalization has been proposed as a solution to solving the
Transdniester conflict, thus hinting that Gagauz-Yeri should not be
involved in that process. Andrei Neguta, chairman of the parliament's
Foreign Affairs Committee, said in turn that the autonomous region's
authorities should not be involved in the negotiations under way with
Tiraspol, but added that their demands will be taken into consideration
when the new constitution is elaborated. (DIVERS)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

DIVERS is a weekly news bulletin edited by the Mediafax News Agency
with financial support from
Ethnocultural Diversity Resource Center (EDRC) in Cluj.
For now, the full version of the bulletin is only available in
Romanian and can be found at www.divers.ro
e-mail: divers@mediafax.ro