Motto: „May God give us light,
not funerals, but life.”

Due to the fact that the government of Romania has not given up on its attempt to try and incorporate Szeklerland into a larger-region with Romanian majority,

given that our demands on the autonomy of Szeklerland, which we have exhibited on numerous occasions and in various forms, is being neglected since more than a decade, and our initiatives to facilitate dialogue remain unanswered,

condemning that the government of Romania is planning to change the administrative reorganization of the country, in a fmenner that would violate all her corresponding international obligations,

upholding the decision of the Szekler Municipal Gathering, according to which: „Szeklerland cannot be divided, nor can it be assimilated. It can only exist within her own historical boundaries, that were naturally created throughout the history, as a separate autonomous administrative unit, conferred with special competencies, which unit must also constitute a separate NUTS II development region”,

strengthening the resolutions of the Szekler municipalities that called upon the international fora of both Europe and the World, reminding them that there is a peoples within the curve of the Carpathians, which wants to live in peace and freedom, wants to use its mother language freely, and decide upon its own faith;

today, on the 24th of October, we, the Szeklers gather at the border-communes of Szeklerland, together with Hungarians from all over the Carpathian –basin, illuminate the natural, historically developed borders of Szeklerland with torches and lamps, on several hundred spots recalling our ancient traditions. This is how we want to inform the government of Romania, as well as the whole world that Szeklerland exists, and also the way in which we want to strengthen our aspiration, declared on the Szekler National Gathering in Gyergyóditró: we invoke the right to self-determination, and demand the self-governance of Szeklerland within Romania! We insist on the boundaries of Szeklerland that consist of 153 municipalities, and eight historical seats, which administrative unit should be finalized through a local referendum.

We demand the implementation of European norms in the case of Szeklerland so that we can experience self-determination through autonomy, just like other autonomous communities in Europe do. One has to comply with the norm of the European Union, according to which regions should not be designated, but recognized instead.
We declared this on numerous protest, through several hundreds of thousands of supporters: the autonomy of Szeklerland means self-governance within the state. An institutional guaranty for the full and effective legal equality for all inhabitants, irrespective of nationality, linguistic or ethnic affiliation. Additionally, Szeklerland that has special historical, geographical, political, cultural and economic characteristics needs to form a separate NUTS II development region!
We continue to believe that dialogue paves the way towards social peace, and Szeklers demand peace and dialogue. To this end we repeatedly call upon Romania’s government to engage in a dialogue, as this is the only way to create the institutional guarantees for Szekler equality in a peaceful manner, which can also serve as the pillar for the long standing stability of the region.
We ask the government of Hungary to give effect to the Fundamental Treaty between Romania and Hungary, concluded in 1996, with particular regards to Article 15 (9), which stipulates that: „ Without prejudice to measures taken in pursuance of their general integration policy, the Contracting Parties shall refrain from policies or practices aimed at the assimilation of persons belonging to national minorities against their will and shall protect these persons from any action aiming at such assimilation. They shall further refrain from measures which by altering the proportions of the population in areas inhabited by persons belonging to national minorities are aimed at restricting the rights and freedoms flowing from the international standards and norms listed in paragraph 1 of this article.”
We are demanding autonomy for Szeklerland and freedom for the Szekler people as communities gathered at the border-communes of: Szováta, Nyárádremete, Székelyhodos, Gernyeszeg, Beresztelke, Vajdaszentiványb, Marossárpatak, Mezőcsávás, Mezősámsond, Mezőbánd, Nyárádtő, Lukafalva, Nyárádkarácson, Ákosfalva, Balavásár, Székelyvécke, Székelyszenterzsébet (municipality of Újszékely), Alsóboldogfalva (municipality of Újszékely), Székelykeresztúr, Fiatfalva, Nagygalambfalva, Székelymagyarós (municipality of Bögöz), Székelyderzs, Székelymuzsna, Kányád, Székelydálya, Ége, Városfalva (municipality of Homoródszentmárton), Homoródújfalu (municipality of Oklánd), Alsórákos, Apáca, Ürmös, Bölön, Ágostonfalva, Hidvég, Előpatak, Sepsillyefalva, Kökös, Uzon, Réty, Nagyborosnyó, Kommandó, Kovászna, Zabola, Gelence, Ozsdola, Bereck, Lemhény, Esztelnek, Kászonaltíz, Csinód, Csíksztentmárton, Csíkszentgyörgy, Csíkpálfalva, Csíkszépvíz, Gyimesfelsőlok, Gyimesközéplok, Gyimesbükk, Csíkszentdomokos, Balánbánya, Gyergyószentmiklós, Gyergyótölgyes, Gyergyóholló, Bélbor, Maroshéviz, Gyergyóvárhegy, Gyergyóremete and Gyergyóalfalu.

Szeklerland, the 24th of October 2015

Izsák Balázs
President of the Szekler National Council