On March 10 2016, we shall be counted both literally and figuratively. We will be counted by the authorities, official reports will state how many of us were gathered at the Postarét at Marosvásárhely at 4 pm, how many of us crossed the central square and how many of us participated in the protest in front of the prefecture, the old town hall.

Our loyalty to our traditions and our goals will be weighed, as our collective wisdom and dignity, as will the moral strength that has been confronting the Romanian authorities, as well as the entire world, with the will of the Szeklers: territorial autonomy for their homeland, Szeklerland. Through constitutional means, without violence, but with unbreakable determination, we demand freedom: self-governance, within the state.

It’s time to put an end to the harassments of the authorities’, the persecution of the Hungarian language and the Szekler symbols, as well as to the application of direct and indirect discrimination towards the citizens of Hungarian nationality, towards the country’s Hungarian community.

The dialogue on the country’s administrative reform must be restarted, because we will not accept, nor tolerate the fact that contrary to law and rationality, and despite Romania’s international commitments, Szeklerland is about to be integrated into an administrative region of a Romanian majority.

This is why we gather, and this is why we remember the example set by the Szekler martyrs. This is why we protest on 10 March at Marosvásárhely, and all over Szeklerland.

As required by the law on the right to public gathering, we have submitted our announcement regarding the event, in advance, to the Mayor’s office way back in spring 2015. The office rejected it – rather illegally – on the grounds that it was submitted too early, and should be resubmitted 30-45 days before March 10. Among the excuses they cited city planning works, as well as the fact that 2016 is an election year, and because of the elections in May/June, public gatherings may not be organized in March. It’s obvious that the reason why they asked for a later announcement, was that in case the march would be banned - like on March 10, 2015 - we would not have enough time to seek legal remedy.

We turned to the court to create a clear situation from a legal standpoint. On January 8 this year, the court of justice of Mures / Maros County has made a decision, requiring the mayor and the city to acknowledge the event as announced in advance.

It has recently come to our attention that the Mayor, Dorin Florea is looking for new excuses, and considers an appeal. He claims to be worried about potential ethnic conflicts. This argument, did not appear in his initial response he gave us, nor in the response they submitted to the court. We repeat: we intend to express our will through peaceful means, in accordance with the legal dispositions and have no intention of offending the majority; in fact, we believe that our goal is in all our interests.

The only time there were ethnic conflicts at Marosvásárhely, is when this was the will of the public authorities, when they incited the majority to go against the Hungarian community – an attack that was deliberately organized by these authorities. We are confident that the current Romanian authorities, unlike the ones from the nineties, are not interested in organizing an ethnic conflict, and that they will ensure through legal means, that the event will take place without incident.

We call upon the inhabitants of Szeklerland to remember the day of Szekler Freedom, and ask anyone who can, to come to Marosvásárhely, so we can peacefully express our need for autonomy with dignity.

We ask the Hungarian parties, civil organizations and congregations of historical Hungarian churches, to take part in the preparations and urge all Szeklers, all Hungarians in Transylvania to participate.

We ask the organizations of Hungarians all over the world, to gather before the Romanian embassies on March 10, 2016, to express their solidarity with the Szekler autonomy movement.

On the day of the Szekler Freedom, we will be weighed, at home, as well as in the entire world. Let us be prepared, so that we are not found wanting.

Marosvásárhely, 25 January 2016

Izsák Balázs

President of the Szekler National Council