MINELRES: Romania: Ethnci Minority New. Bulletin no. 8 (91) / March 8, 2004

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Divers Bulletin no. 8 (91) / March 8, 2004

News

GOVERNMENT TO ALLOCATE SOME 8M USD TO ETHNIC MINORITIES THIS YEAR
PARLIAMENT PASSES THE LAW ON RESTITUTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES'
BUILDINGS
HUNGARIAN INTERIOR MINISTER DISAPPROVES OF SZEKLER-AUTONOMY DRIVE IN
ROMANIA
TRANSYLVANIAN BISHOP PROMOTES AUTONOMY VISION IN BUDAPEST 
ROMA ACTIVIST TO STAND FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

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News

GOVERNMENT TO ALLOCATE SOME 8M USD TO ETHNIC MINORITIES THIS YEAR

BUCHAREST � Government has passed for this year a grant of ROL 255bn
(some 7.9m USD) in order to support the 19 organizations belonging to
the ethnic minorities in Romania. The money is mainly addressed to
partially cover the expenses related to the activity of the
organizations� headquarters and subsidiaries, as well as to the
maintenance and repairing works, personnel expenses, press, books,
school textbooks and publications, expenses of the organization of
culture actions etc. Another amount of ROL 15bn was also allocated by
the State budget so as to finance interethnic programs and projects, but
also addressed to the programs fighting intolerance. 
Author: DIVERS


PARLIAMENT PASSES THE LAW ON RESTITUTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES'
BUILDINGS

BUCHAREST � The two Chambers of Parliament, gathered on March 3 in joint
session, passed the final version of the emergency ordinance, which
amends the Law as regards the restitution of some buildings that used to
belong to the national minorities. According to the document, the
buildings, which belonged to the communities of national minorities in
Romania and were abusively seized during September 6, 1940 � December
22, 1989 by the Communist regime, including real estates that enclose
constructions and the related land, are given back to the former owners.
The buildings were defined, according to the Senate, as constructions
and their afferent wings and lands located within localities. The goods
turned into real estates by incorporation or re-arrangements are taken
over at the updated value.
Author: DIVERS


HUNGARIAN INTERIOR MINISTER DISAPPROVES OF SZEKLER-AUTONOMY DRIVE IN
ROMANIA

CLUJ-NAPOCA � Hungarian Interior Minister Monika Lamperth said during a
28 February visit to Capus, Cluj County, that an "aggressive approach"
to the Hungarian minority's aspiration to autonomy cannot produce the
desired results, RFE/RL reported. Lamperth was referring to the draft
law submitted by supporters within the Hungarian Democratic Federation
of Romania (UDMR) of the Szekler National Council (SZNT in Hungarian,
CNS in Romanian) initiative. Lamperth said: "I cannot agree with
initiatives likely to bring about a split in the ranks of the UDMR and
in the Hungarian [ethnic] community" of Romania, "particularly when it
runs the danger of eliminating the UDMR for the decision-making
process." A public-opinion poll recently conducted by IMAS showed for
the first time that the UDMR might fail to pass the 5 percent electoral
threshold in the parliamentary elections slated for November, Romanian
media reported on 1 March. The poll showed the UDMR is supported by just
3.8 percent of the electorate. 
Author: DIVERS


TRANSYLVANIAN BISHOP PROMOTES AUTONOMY VISION IN BUDAPEST 

BUDAPEST - "We do not want a revision [of borders], we will be content
with territorial autonomy, but this minimal requirement should be
unequivocally supported by our [Hungarian] motherland," Hungarian media
quoted Reformed Bishop Laszlo Toekes as telling journalists in Budapest
on 2 March. National Council of Transylvanian Hungarians Chairman Toekes
was accompanied by Szekler National Council head Jozsef Csapo and
parliamentary deputies representing the Hungarian Democratic Forum,
whose parliamentary group leader Karoly Herenyi backed their demands.
Toekes and Csapo said their organizations want to attend as full members
the next meeting of the Hungarian Standing Conference, which includes
representatives of the Hungarian government and of ethnic Hungarian
organizations abroad. Csapo rejected Hungarian Prime Minister
Medgyessy's 1 March rejection of the autonomy plans and his citation of
Hungarian Democratic Federation of Romania Chairman Bela Marko's support
for his position. Csapo noted that Marko was the first Transylvanian
Hungarian politician to oppose the plan, but added that no one is
obliged to embrace his opinions. 
Author: DIVERS


ROMA ACTIVIST TO STAND FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

BUCHAREST - A Roma rights activist said last week he would stand in this
year's presidential elections, making it the first bid by a Gypsy to run
for president, Romanian press reported. Viorel Bumbu, 46, who is an
economist by training, launched his candidacy in a culture center in the
capital before a crowd of Gypsies or Roma and a large group of
journalists. There are officially 500,000 Gypsies in Romania. However,
there are believed to be more than one million. Many do not declare
themselves to be Roma because prejudice against Gypsies is widespread.
Many Roma are poor and have minimum formal education. Bumbu said his
main goal was to improve the economy and deliver higher living
standards. He said he wants to fight corruption and implement a more
professional justice system. "Corruption continues to be the hardest tax
the honest citizen pays," Bumbu said in a speech. He also said the Roma
community wants to fight illiteracy and intolerance toward minorities.
Bumbu, who comes from the Transylvanian city of Alba Iulia, also owns a
restaurant. He earlier made a failed bid to become mayor of Alba Iulia.
Elections are to be held in the fall. Most candidates for president have
promised to crack down on corruption, one of the biggest problems facing
the country which hopes to join the European Union in 2007. 
Author: DIVERS


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