The celebretion of the Szèkely (Sekler) Homeland.

 On the 18th of November 2018, on the occasion of the centenary of the Sekler National Council that was founded in 1918, the main square of Sepsiszentgyörgy was filled with people who wished to stand up for the autonomy of Sekler land in person. At the grand centenarian meeting of the Sekler National Council, the organisers ‘ intention has been realised as the Sekler peoples along with the Transylvanian Hungarian community that stands in solidarity with them had this united rally when we remembered the struggles of the last hundred years, the founders of the Sekler National Council, the Sekler Division and the Hungarian autnomous province that was terminated 50 years ago. We remembered the grievance of the community but also the possibilities of action to be taken. The speakers: Làszló Tōkès, Europen Parliament Representative, Chairman of the Transylvanian Hungarian National Council, Zsolt Szilàgyi, Chairman of the Transylvanian Hungarian People’s Society, Jànos Mezei, Chairman of the Hungarian Civil Society, Sabin Gherman, Transylvanist activist and Balàzs Izsàk, Chairman of the Sekler National Council- were recalling the morale of the last hundred years- all emphasised that Romania will only become a lawful state and can only start developing if it respects the country’s regional and ethnic variegation and if it plans it’s future building upon the particular values of the historical regions instead of it’s assimilationist politics of the past hundred years. This even was also the celebration of the Sekler Homeland when the community has repeatedly enunciated it’s commitment to the autonomy of Sekler land. The community confirmed it’s will to form the future of the Sekler community on it’s own homeland by peaceful and democratic means within the frame of the Romanian state with the grant of the institutional guarantee of autonomy by law. Sending a definite message to Bucharest and to the world that the Seklers insist on their claim for autonomy!

Press Relations of the Sekler National Council, 18th November 2018, Sepsiszentgyörgy

Attila Dabis Ph.D., Foreign Affairs Commissioner of the Szekler National Council has been barred from entering Romania for three years, due to unspecified national security reasons. This measure is a violation of the right of citizens of the European Union to freedom of movement, it is completely unfounded, illegal, unconstitutional and in violation of fundamental human rights.

On 09 March 2018, I attempted to cross the Hungarian-Romanian border at the Ártánd-Bors border check point at 12:44 CET, together with a Swiss-Hungarian friend. After checking our ID cards, the Romanian border guard asked us to pull over to a nearby administration facility, where he informed me that I was barred from entering Romania.

Esteemed Madam Minister

Over the course of the past few years, I couldn’t help but notice that every time I cross Romania’s border, I am given special attention by the Romanian Border Police. On more than one occasion, I was forced to park my car, and wait nearly an hour by orders of the Border Police; sometimes the justification was computer failure, sometimes some other, equally untrue excuse. It didn’t take me long to discover, by studying the laws on border crossing in Romania, that I’m what is referred to as a „registered person” (persoana cu consemn). Such people are treated based on special legal dispositions, should they cross the border. 

The peace process ending the First World War has cut off Szeklerland from Hungary, placing it under the jurisdiction of a foreign country, Romania. At the same time, however, the Szekler peoples, together with Transylvanian Saxons, gained recognition as subjects of international law.

We are preparing for the Day of Szekler Freedom, in a year in which we commemorate the centenary of the Szekler National Council. Just as Paál Árpád’s plan for a Szekler Republic becomes a century old, so will the Szekler self-determination movement.

The Szekler National Council has been struggling for the autonomy of Szeklerland by means of law and democracy for over one and a half decade now. The foundation of this struggle is a bill, which would guarantee the self-governance of the region. We submitted this bill to the parliament of Romania twice, which was rejected both times. The Szekler National Council made numerous steps both domestically, as well as internationally, to draw attention to the will of our community that has Hungarian national identity, and lives in the centre of Romania, on a land spanning through 13.500 km2. The Szekler National Council declared the last Sunday of October to be the Day of Szekler Autonomy. On this day, inhabitants of Szekler cities and villages come together to pray for autonomy, and light watch fires in the evening, reasserting their protest against all aspiration aimed towards the assimilation of Szeklerland, and reaffirming their demand for self determination within the state of Romania. This year, on 29 October, the following declaration was read out on these events:

Dear Mr. President!

Catalonia's aspirations for independence have been in the public's mind for weeks. The response to the independence referendum was police brutality, the likes of which was rarely seen in 21st century Europe. The Szekler National Council, through the fate of the Szekler peoples, is well aware of the collective experience of oppressed communities, and expresses its deepest sympathy and solidarity with their Catalan friends.

On Friday, 8 September 2017, representatives of the legal service of the European Commission met with the organizers of the citizens’ initiative on national regions in Brussels. A lawsuit before the Court of Justice of the European Union has been underway on the subject for four years now, since the Commission rejected the registration of the initiative, due to alleged lack of EU competences.

Dear Mr. President!

 

On November 2014 the Szekler people voted in large numbers for you, contributing to your electoral victory. They did so bearing in mind that as a Transylvanian Saxon you are familiar with both the problems of the national communities living in Romania, as well as the tolerant political heritage of Transylvania. They hoped that under your presidency the way how the Romanian authorities relate to Szeklerland, its specific problems and the Szekler people will change.

  1. The Threat of the Anti-Hungarian Administrative Reform has not yet Passed
  2. Romania must recognize Szeklerland!
  3. We are not closer to achieving the sustainability of regional cultures
  4. Petition on The Day of the Szekler Freedom

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