The people of Europe are Equal

 

Declaration of Principles referring to the cooperation of the European Union’s national regions

Having in mind, that the Szekler National Council is interested in promoting and strengthening any process that brings it closer to it’s goal, Szeklerland’s territorial autonomy, regardless that this process takes place somewhere in the world, in the European Union, in Romania or - on a regional level - in Szeklerland.

Having in mind, that the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly recognizes that there are many communities living in Europe with a strong cultural, political and historical identity, described as regions, nations, nationalities or countries, that did not establish their own state.

Having in mind, that these communities were involved in the historical process by which the values that serve as foundations for the EU's existence and functioning were formed, and therefore these communities are equal to the peoples of Europe that form a majority in their own, independent states.

Considering that article 3 of the Treaty of the European Union states, that the Union shall contribute to the respecting of the principles of the United Nations Charter, and in that Charter, the people of the world affirm their belief in the peoples’ right to self determination and the equality between small and large nations,

 

The Szekler National Council declares

 

Respect for the European Union’s core values, and protection and long term preservation of it’s cultural diversity can only be accomplished if the equality of the people of Europe is universally recognized, regardless if a community, identifying itself as people or nation, has founded it’s own country, or lives on the territory of another, as an indigenous community.

Strengthening the solidarity and mutual respect between the indigenous people living on its territory is a prerequisite to Europe’s cultural diversity.

These regions in Europe, having a strong cultural, political and historical identity must work together to ensure that these goals and principles are realized. These regions are the homelands of nations, their citizens are citizens of the European Union, their numbers measure in tens of millions and are bound together by common goals, regardless of which member states they live in.

Basque Country, Bretagne, Catalonia, Corsica, Galicia, Frisia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South-Tyrol, Szeklerland, Valle d'Aosta, Wales and other such regions of the European Union, must see these common goals, and must create the institutions of cooperation.

The Szekler National Council

 

Marosvásárhely, June the 3rd, 2011

 

Resolution on EU-level Citizens’ Initiative

 

Having in mind, that Szeklerland’s residents, expressed through referendum their demand for Szeklerland’s autonomy, and that in light of this, it is in Szeklerland’s interest to adopt a Union act, which encourages/obliges the member states to acknowledge the right to self determination of all indigenous communities living on their territory, and the special legal status of the territories they inhabit,

Having in mind, that the member states of the European Union have undertaken a number of commitments that protect the collective self-identity of these regions, and the national traditions rooted in their history,

Having in mind, that on February 2008, in Sepsiszentgyorgy, the Szekler National Council decided to initiate an EU-wide legislation “concerning the rights of indigenous people and ethnic groups living in the European Union, in particular, their right to self determination”, a legislation that must be based on recommendations 1201/1993, 1334/2003, 1811/2007 of the Council of Europe, the European Charter of Regional Autonomy and the European Parliament’s decision concerning EU citizenship, adopted on November 21, 1991 and must treat the recognition of all individual and collective rights recognized by the EU’s member states, as international standards,

In sight of the Szekler National Council’s resolutions, adopted in Budapest, on the 19th of November 2010,

Considering that article 11, section 4 of the Treaty of the European Union states, that “Not less than one million citizens who are nationals of a significant number of Member States may take the initiative of inviting the European Commission, within the framework of its powers, to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the Union is required for the purpose of implementing the Treaties”.

Taking into account the standards of Regulation number 211/2010/EU concerning citizens’ initiative, adopted by the European Parliament and Council on February 16 2011 (furthermore referred to as “the regulation”),

 

The Szekler National Council decides

 

It intends to live with the possibility of EU level citizens’ initiative, in order to achieve the recognition in an EU level legal act the right to self determination of those communities in EU member states, having specific national characteristics, traditions and possessing particular regional or national identity, and the right of the regions inhabited by these communities to gain special legal status.
After the regulation’s coming into force, based on it’s soon to be established partnerships, the Szekler National Council, in cooperation with it’s potential allies, will form the citizens’ committee mentioned in article 3, section 2 of the Regulation, and authorize it to exercise the powers granted to it by the Regulation, respecting the principles laid down in this resolution, and the other declarations adopted on this very day.
Instructs the Standing Committee of the Szekler National Council, to urge the competent public authorities of EU member states, especially those of Romania, to take the necessary measures to implement the regulation, respecting the prescribed time limits.
The Szekler National Council

Marosvásárhely, June the 3rd, 2011.

 

The Szekler People has the right to self determination!

Based on the facts that:

a) it was a century-old tradition of the Szeklers to have the freedom to settle their affairs through their own institutions and by their own laws, and that

b) the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that individuals have duties toward the community they belong to, and must strive to promote and respect the rights recognized in the Covenant;

Considering that the Covenants declares:

All peoples have the right to self-determination. In light of this right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development;
In order to achieve their goals, all peoples - based on the principle of mutual benefits of international economic cooperation and compliance with obligations under international law - may freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources. Under no circumstances may a people be deprived of the assets necessary to their subsistence;
Having in mind, that the existing European autonomies create the institutional framework for the exercising of right to self determination for indigenous communities that do not have their own state;

Considering that the people of Szeklerland have expressed through referendum, that they desire Szeklerland’s Autonomy, as the legal-administrative framework that makes possible for them the self-determination,

The Szekler National Council Declares

The Szeklers, as Szeklerland’s indigenous, regional, historical and cultural community, preserving both Hungarian national identity and their own regional identity, and possessing marks that distinguish them from the residents of surrounding regions, wish to live with the universal right of every people, recognized by the United Nations: the right of self determination.

This is the theoretical and international legal basis of the Autonomy Statute adopted by the Szekler National Council, based on this universal human right and democratic principle, we demand the recognition by law the specific administrative status which we call Szeklerland’s Autonomy, a fair and reasonable way to validate Szeklerland’s traditions in a democratic way.

We consider the promotion of the will of the Szekler people expressed through the referendum, to be a moral obligation that cannot be changed or avoided. This obligation means responsibility for all of the community’s members, proportional to their authority and social status.

The Szekler National Council

Marosvásárhely, June the 3rd, 2011.

 

Decision regarding Incompatibilities

The Szekler National Council considers imperative for all their leaders and representatives:

- to be blameless both morally and politically

- to not have any bindings in their past that could force them off track in the present

- to not be influenced in their decisions by personal consideration, late self assessment, or the intention to compensate.

For this reason,

The Szekler National Council decides:

The following people can not be members of the Standing Committee:

People who collaborated in any way with the Romanian Secret Service, the Securitate, or was employed by it. Therefore, it is required that all Standing Committee members in office, to submit themselves to investigation by the National Council for the Examination of Securitate Archives (CNSAS), to be launched after the adoption of this decision. All Standing Committee members are required to fully cooperate during the screening process. All completed screening results, already published by the CNSAS are to be considered valid.

The Szekler National Council

Marosvásárhely, June the 3rd, 2011.

 

Decision regarding the inclusion of the Hungarian Coalition Party in the Hungarian Autonomy Council in the Carpathian Basin

Having in mind, that in the founding document of the Hungarian Autonomy Council in the Carpathian Basin (KMAT) which is appended to this decision, the seven founding members have declared that:

The KMAT may be joined by any public representative organization (be it civil or political) that consistently works for the autonomy of the Hungarian community, and has announced their intention to cooperate and join.

Considering that later on, the Board has set this possibility of extension in the house rules, but at the same time, tied it to one important condition, as follows:

The KMAT may be joined by any organization with public representative powers, which consistently works for the autonomy of the Hungarian community, and has announced their intention to cooperate. Joining the KMAT must be approved by all associated members.

Taking into account that the Hungarian Coalition Party has announced it’s intention to join, and agreed to act consistently for the autonomy of the Hungarian community,

The Szekler National Council decides

To approve that the Hungarian Coalition Party be a full member of the Hungarian Autonomy Council in the Carpathian Basin.

The Szekler National Council

Marosvásárhely, June the 3rd, 2011.

 

Addendum to the Decision regarding the inclusion of the MKP

Decision regarding the forming of the Hungarian Autonomy Council in the Carpathian Basin

As an organization formed to represent the Autonomy aspirations of the Hungarian community indigenous to the Carpathian Basin, we have decided to form the Hungarian Autonomy Council in the Carpathian Basin (KMAT) for the unified representation represent through the means of democracy, the people’s will for autonomy.

It is the purpose of the KMAT to eliminate discrimination against the Hungarian communities living in the Carpathian Basin, and to achieve full and effective equality with international assistance, in direct cooperation with the European institutions, and through unified action of the Hungarian communities that desire Autonomy.

The KMAT’s license and powers are purely representative, and can not make valid decisions regarding associated members. Working with the associated members, it represents their individual aspirations and decisions in the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Council of Europe, and it’s Parliamentary Assembly, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the United Nations, non governmental organizations, and any forum marked uniformly or individually by the KMAT members.

The KMAT may be joined by any public representative organization (be it civil or political) that consistently works for the autonomy of the Hungarian community, and has announced their intention to cooperate and join.

 

Nagyvárad, June the 16th, 2004.

Transylvanian Hungarian National Council president: László Tõkés,

Szekler National Council president: Dr Jozsef Csapó,

Democratic Community of Hungarians in Croatia vice president: Sándor Jakab

Hungarian National Community of the Mura Region president: György Tomka

Hungarian Cultural Association of Transcarpathia vice president: Sándor Milovan

Hungarian Civic Alliance president: Jenõ Szász

Hungarian Democratic party of Vojvodina president: András Ágoston