Foreign minister calls for action against ‘anti-Hungarian attacks’ in Romania

“Anti-Hungarian voices” have become louder and “attacks” on the Hungarian minority stronger within Romania’s political elite, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in parliament on Tuesday and called for measures.

Hungary’s diplomacy “cannot stay silent”, Szijjártó added. He argued that in the international arena “the Hungarian position cannot be untouched by anti-Hungarian attacks and provocations” when issues concerning Romania are discussed.

Hungary has sought “effective and pragmatic ties based on mutual trust” with Romania and will continue to do so, Szijjártó said, and argued that good bilateral ties benefit ethnic kin in the other country.

Szijjártó protested against recent developments at a commemoration in a WWI military cemetery at Valea Uzului (Úzvölgye) in Romania, and said it was unacceptable that “Hungarian officials that organised the event were punished” rather than those that violently disrupted the commemoration.

He noted that the Romanian side had erected concrete crosses over the graves of at least 20 Hungarian soldiers, and demanded that they should be removed.

The Hungarian government expects Romania to prosecute the perpetrators and “stop ethnic-based harassment of peaceful participants”.

Szijjártó also criticised Romania’s new public administration law, which, he said, would “throw Romania back by ten years” in terms of minority rights.

The Hungarian government stands by the ethnic Hungarian RMDSZ party in their efforts to preserve the acquired rights of Romania Hungarians, the minister added.

Source: MTI