Fine for Singing the Hungarian Anthem in Romania

Marius Popica, Covasna County Prefect fined 5000 lei the Hungarian Civil Party (MPP) because the particpants of the commemorations of Trianon sang the Hungarian Anthem in Saint George, Kronika Online says.

The government trustee referred to a 2001-resolution of the Government, which supplemented the 1994/75 Law, according to which the anthem of another country can only be sang by the visit of a representative of the country.

According to Kronika Online, Zsolt Biro, president of the MPP said that government agency issued the report with a 6-month delay on 2 December , on that day when tha mayor’s office of Kezdivasarhely was also fined arguing that the city was not decorated enough with Romanian flags on 1 December. According to the party leader, the Prefect against the Hungarian community, it did not occured since the Regime Change that someone got fined for singing the Hungarian Anthem.

Biro says that the Prefect wants to take revenge because MPP drew attention to commit themselves to the promise made in Gyulafehervar in 1918, during their Saint George event in 29 November. He added that they would appeal the fine and inform the competent bodies of the European Union, the United States Embassy and the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) leaders as well about the infringement.

Marius Popica told the Kronika Online that the MPP could use the option of appeal. He also said that he wanted mutual respect and the compliance with the Law. He thought that the action of the MPP in 29 November did not make any sense and it would be similar if they would organize an event before 15 March.
Attila Varga constitutional lawyer, former Member of Parliament for the RMDSZ said that this Romanian law was inconsistent with the EU Law.

Anyway, the limiting of the Anthem-singing also scandalled before the birth of the Resolution of the Government, 13 years ago. The government led by Adrian Nastase adopted the Resolutin in December 5 2001. The RMDSZ supported this Government in the Parliament. Protesting against it, members of RMSZ sang the Hungarian Anthem in 15 December, Krónika Online says.

The former General Attorney ordered a criminal investigation against the RMDSZ for violating the nationality mark of Romania. Bela Marko, former RMDSZ chairman rejected the allegation of infringement of the Romanian State.

Otherwise, Zsolt Nemeth, Hungarian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs was in Bucharest just in those days and he said that Hungary supported the singing of the Anthem. The RMDSZ sought not to settle the question before 15 March 2002 so they could not fine the celebrating Hungarians.

Finally, Nastase lifted the restriction so the minorities could sing their Anthems and use their national symbols in holidays, Krónika Online says.

based on the article of Krónika Online
translated by BA

Source: http://www.kronika.ro/