Regarding the growing diplomatic scandal that commenced after an interview of the journal România Liberă with Hungary’s Ambassador to Romania, Zákonyi Botond, we find it important to state the following:

Bearing in mind the increasing anti-Hungarianism in Romania, we particularly appreciate it, that the Ambassador has answered the questions of the journalist in an impartial, correct, and calm manner, worthy of a diplomat.

On the other hand, we consider Romanian reactions to be excessive, unacceptable, offensive and unjustifiable, both in tone and content. We think it says a lot about the Prime Minister of Romania, that he was preoccupied for days with offending and defaming Hungary and its Prime Minister, instead of dealing with the actual problems of the country.

Everything that Hungary does for Hungarians living in Romania, including the Szekler community, is done in the spirit of the Fundamental Treaty between Hungary and Romania on good neighbourly relations and cooperation, in agreement with minority Hungarian political organizations and representative bodies, and according to the realistic demands of our community.

It is typical and important to note that Romanians living outside Romania appreciate the way Hungary handles the issue of Hungarians living behind the state borders, as an example for Romania. The Romanian minority policy, which lets down its own kinspeople abroad only to be able to deny collective rights at home undisrupted, cannot be considered as wise, nor as just, or European. Moreover, anti-Hungarianism is elevated to governmental levels, and is no longer a prerogative of radical organizations, but is more- and more present in the activities of public authorities.

There is an increasing number of Council of Europe documents stating that the institutions of Romania are waging a perpetual war against our symbols, and against those who use it, they persecute our language and curb the use thereof. Such conduct is inconceivable in a state where the rule of law prevails, but it undermines the stability, peace and security of the region, as these can only be maintained in the long run through intergovernmental treaties, and through the sincere and consistent implementation of international obligations.

In spite of the success-propaganda of the authorities, in reality Romania treats its Hungarian minority as enemy, continuously violates both the recommendations of the Council of Europe as well as the norms of minority protection ratified by the country through domestic legislation.

We invite the government of Romania to: respect the Fundamental Treaty with Hungary, in particular paragraphs 2, 3 and 9 of Articles 15, paragraph 2 of Article 19, as well as Article 11 of the Romanian Constitution; immediately cease all activities violating our rights; implement precisely and sincerely those international obligations, which grant individual and collective rights for us.

Marosvásárhely/Tg-Mures, the 18th of August 2015

Izsák Balázs

President of the Szekler National Council