Good Hungary-Romania relations benefit ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania

Hungary must maintain the best possible relations with neighbouring countries because it also benefits ethnic Hungarians living there, as demonstrated in the case of Hungary and Romania, the foreign minister said on Thursday.

The ministry cited Péter Szijjártó telling a joint press conference with Hunor Kelemen, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), that the government considered national communities as a link and resource, which also applies to the ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania and Szekler land. The performance of RMDSZ has been proof that this approach is correct, as the party’s activities have “considerably contributed to the development of bilateral cooperation”, he added.

He said that especially in the current period burdened by crises, “Hungary cannot afford not to maintain effective bilateral cooperation based on mutual respect and serving mutual interests”.

Szijjártó said the government would continue to support RMDSZ’s activities in order to ensure that the ethnic Hungarian communities further strengthen in Transylvania and Szekler land.

Kelemen said it was important to improve living conditions for ethnic Hungarians in Romania, in order to stop the shrinking of the community. This requires good relations between the two countries and pragmatic cooperation, he added.

“We don’t need to agree on everything … what’s most important is that the two states identify common points of view and there are a whole lot of them,” he said.

Source: MTI