MINELRES: Romania: Bulletin DIVERS on Ethnic Minorities – 31 ( 114) / September 13, 2004

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Original sender: Edivers Buletin <edivers_buletin-admin@mediafax.ro>



Divers Bulletin no. 31 (114) / September 13, 2004
News

MODERATE ETHNIC HUNGARIAN NOMINATED FOR ROMANIA PRESIDENTIAL POST

ROMANIAN PARLIAMENT REJECTS INITIATIVE ON ETHNIC HUNGARIANS AUTONOMY

EU SUPPORTS SCHOOL INTEGRATION OF THE ROMA CHILDREN

Focus

CHILD MARRIAGES DIVIDE ROMANIA GYPSY GATHERING


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News

MODERATE ETHNIC HUNGARIAN NOMINATED FOR ROMANIA PRESIDENTIAL POST

CLUJ - Romania 's ethnic Hungarian party last week chose moderate leader
Bela Marko as its candidate in November presidential elections, AP
reported.
Marko, 52, said he hoped his moderate views would appeal not only to the
country's 1.4 million ethnic Hungarians, but also to other Romanians.
His chances to win the elections are slim -Prime Minister Adrian Nastase
and Theodor Stolojan, a former prime minister running for a centrist
alliance - are considered favorites.
Marko, who heads the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR),
was elected presidential candidate at a party meeting in the
Transylvanian city of Targu Mures, which has a large community of ethnic
Hungarians. The vote was 109-5.
The party traditionally fields a candidate in the presidential race even
though its chances to win the figurehead post are virtually nonexistent.
In a speech before the party vote, Marko said he wanted more cultural,
aadministrative and educational autonomy for ethnic Hungarians, most of
whom live in the northwest region of Transylvania. He also called for
more ethnic Hungarian police officers.
A writer and teacher, Marko has been a senator in Romania 's parliament
since 1990.
His party currently supports the ruling Social Democratic Party.
Relations between Romania and Hungary improved after the neighbors
signed a treaty in 1996. Transylvania was part of the Austro-Hungarian
empire until 1918.
Author: DIVERS


ROMANIAN PARLIAMENT REJECTS INITIATIVE ON ETHNIC HUNGARIANS AUTONOMY

BUCHAREST – On September 8, Public Administration Commission within the
Romanian second chamber Camera Deputatilor rejected the legislative
proposals on autonomy submitted by the radicals in UDMR, after the
initiative on the Szeckler’s County was not passed by the Parliament.
The initiative of framework-law on the personal autonomy of the national
communities and that on the statute of the personal autonomy of the
Hungarian community in Romania have been rejected as being
unconstitutional, stated the chairman of the Commission Ioan Oltean. He
said that all the deputies within the Commission, except for one in
UDMR, agreed with this decision. The commission grounded the rejection
upon the fact "the drafts flagrantly contradict the Constitution",
stated Ioan Oltean.
The Government and the Legislative Council had recommended the rejection
of the legislative proposals. 
Author: DIVERS


EU SUPPORTS SCHOOL INTEGRATION OF THE ROMA CHILDREN

TIRGOVISTE - The Delegation of the European Commission in Romania and
the Ministry of Education and Research on September 7 attended the
graduation ceremony and the presentation of certification within the
national educational system of the first group of Roma School Mediators.
The Training Programme for Roma School Mediators is part of the EU’s
Phare programme „Access to Education for Disadvantaged Groups with a
Special Focus on Roma”, worth over 8 million Euro.
By qualifying and certifying Roma community members, the training
programme for School Mediators aims at developing relevant competencies
required by the Romanian educational system.
70 Roma School Mediators participated in intensive training programmes,
during 2003 – 2004, through 11 pilot projects implemented by the School
Inspectorates in several counties in Romania. In addition to this
training programme, over 1600 teachers were trained in ‘inclusive’
education methods and 55 Roma young people have been trained to become
primary school Romani teachers.
Ms. Anne de Ligne, Head of Phare Section at the Delegation of the
European Commission in Romania stated on this occasion: “This training
programme is a “first” for both Romania and Europe. The first group of
Roma community members who graduated from a formal training programme
are certified today as School Mediators. This job has been acknowledged
officially and included in the Romanian Code of Occupations. 
Author: DIVERS


Focus

CHILD MARRIAGES DIVIDE ROMANIA GYPSY GATHERING

COSTESTI - Child marriages divided Romania's large Roma community at its
annual gathering last week with some defending the centuries-old custom
while others said it violated European Union law, Reuters reported. The
EU has strongly condemned teenage marriages, common among the
ex-communist country's three-million strong Roma community, which
largely lives on the fringes of society with little or no education,
health care and jobs.
"You cannot use pistols or prosecutors to change a custom overnight,"
said Florin Cioaba, self-proclaimed king of all Gypsies. "Roma must
stick to their old traditions and marrying children is deeply-rooted in
our mentality."
EU candidate Romania prompted strict criticism from Brussels last year
over the much-publicised marriage of Cioaba's 12-year-old daughter to a
15-year-old, when the reluctant bride stormed out of her wedding but was
forced back.
After a public outrage and European Commission and Parliament calls to
intevene and rescue the children, Romanian authorities ordered the
couple apart but no measures were taken to enforce the order.
Some Roma leaders quickly urged followers to abandon the custom --
started in the Middle Ages as a way to protect nubile girls from their
masters -- and to follow the law in order for the community to be able
to take advantage of EU funding.
Cioaba's uncle and political rival, emperor Iulian Radulescu, said his
nephew had made a mistake in violating Romanian law -- requiring boys to
be 18 and girls 16 to marry.
"I personally issued a ruling last year to ban such marriages," said the
emperor, who claims he rules 78 million Roma worldwide. "If our gypsies
fail to observe it we will punish them according to our own custom."
This usually means banishment from the community.
The main purpose of the annual festival on the slopes of the Carpathian
mountains is to find suitable spouses for children, with families trying
to impress each other with fancy tents, mountains of food and shiny
Mercedes cars.
About 10,000 attended on Wednesday, showing up in colourful costumes and
heavy gold jewellery and spreading huge tables with roasted pigs
decorated with flowers.
Many of those asked defended child marriages, saying it was up to the
Roma to decide when to marry.
"I know that 18 is the legal age for marrying but I think everybody can
make their own family whenever they want," said Marioara Oarza, 22, who
married when she was 15.
Author: DIVERS



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