Petition on the Day of the Szekler Liberty
To The Government and Parliament of Romania
For his information: to Mr. President Klaus Johannis
Today, on the 10th of March 2019 we Szeklers, and those who share solidarity with us, home and around the world, gathered in Marosvásárhely, unechivocally following the path of law and democracy, affirm unanimously once again: we demand territorial autonomy for Szeklerland! The message of The Day of the Szekler Freedom is that this day is not only for commemoration, but also for demanding the respect of our rights.
In this semester, Romania holds the Presidency of the European Union. But the chosen slogan - "Cohesion is a European value” is very inauthentic when coming from the Romanian government. The Government of Romania is manifestly responsibility for the artificial impoverishment of the Szeklerland, something that for the past twelve years has been carried out through means given by the EU. We demand that the Government of Romania gives weight to their slogan, and abandon the forced and artificial impoverishment of Szeklerland.
We also demand the release of Beke István and Szőcs Zoltán, who were wrongfully condemned in the so-called Szekler Terroris Trial, as it is obvious that what has been done to them was meant to intimidate the entire Hungarian community. We object to the institutions of the rule of law being used to suppress, intimidate and persecute the Hungarians citizens of Romania.
We insistently affirm: the autonomy of Szeklerland does not violate the territorial unity and sovereignty of Romania, it does not violate the interests of the Romanian people living in Szeklerland, and it does not contradict the constitution of the country! The autonomy of the Szeklerland - as per the European practice - means that the Szekler-Hungarian community, who make up the majority population in their homeland, would have the right and the actual capacity to manage, on their own responsibility and in the interests of the region, a substantial share of public affairs, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, and in the interest of all national communities living on its territory. This also serves the interests of Romania. The autonomous region has a democratically elected body between the state and the collectivity, exercises the powers of self-administration, and has the corresponding public status and competence.
Upon joining the Council of Europe, Romania has agreed to a unilateral commitment to comply with Council Recommendation 1201/1993, and as such, this has become mandatory for them. Article 11 of the document states, that “in the regions where they are in a majority the persons belonging to a national minority shall have the right to have at their disposal appropriate local or autonomous authorities or to have a special status, matching the specific historical and territorial situation and in accordance with the domestic legislation of the state”. For the past quarter of a century, Romania refused to comply with this obligation, and the authorities rejected all forms of dialogue on the subject.
Having these in mind:
We demand that following the administrative reorganization, Szeklerland becomes its own independent administrative and development region with its own autonomous administrative competence, based on the draft law drafted by the Szekler National Council and submitted to parliament!
We demand that in the process of the administrative reorganization the Government and the Parliament respect their international obligations as well as the will of the Szekler people.
We demand for the government to start a dialogue with the legitimate representatives of the Szekler people, the Szekler National Council and the Szekler self governments.
We protest against the regular attacks on Hungarian language institutions of education, against the intimidation of local authorities in Szeklerland, and restrictions on the use of our native language and the use of our national symbols.
We demand the establishment of the independent Hungarian faculty at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Marosvásárhely (UMPh Târgu Mureș).
We demand full and effective equality for all the inhabitants of Szeklerland!
Autonomy for Szeklerland, freedom for the Szekler people!
Marosvásárhely
10 March 2018
Izsák Balázs
In the name of the participants of the protest of
March 10, 2019 in Marosvásárhely.