Romania's Hungarian Minority Demands Autonomy in Wake of Kosovo Independence
World | February 18, 2008, Monday
Kosovo's declaration of independence led the Hungarian minority from the regions of Mures, Harghita, and Kovasna to raise demands for territorial autonomy. Map by Andrei Nacu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_minority_in_Romania
Kosovo's declaration of independence was welcomed by the Hungarian minority in Romania and led to demands for autonomy.
Leaders of the Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania (DUHR) stated their intention to use the Kosovo precedent in order to ask for territorial autonomy for the regions of Mures, Harghita, and Kovasna, where most of the Hungarian minority lives, the Romanian press reported Monday
In addition, the leader of the DUHR Marco Bela demanded in a declaration that the Romanian government recognized independent Kosovo despite its categorical statements to the contrary.
The Romanian press also reported that a group of ethnic Hungarians celebrated Kosovo's declaration of independence Sunday night in the northern Romanian city of Cluj. The rally carried posters with slogans such as "Well Done, Kosovo!", "Rights for the Minorities", "Long Live National Autonomy!".
Ethnic Hungarians comprise 6,6% of Romania's total population according to official data. The planned administrative autonomy of the Hungarian-populated regions of Mures, Harghita, and Kovasna, has been an issue for years.
According to the leading Romanian newspapers, the unilaterally declared independence of the former Serbian province of Kosovo shattered the whole system of international jurisdiction and conflict prevention and management represented by the UN and its Security Council.
Meanwhile, the two breakaway autonomous republics in Georgia, Abkhazia and South Osetia, declared that, following the Kosovo precedent, they would ask Russia and the UN for recognition of their independence.
Leaders of the Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania (DUHR) stated their intention to use the Kosovo precedent in order to ask for territorial autonomy for the regions of Mures, Harghita, and Kovasna, where most of the Hungarian minority lives, the Romanian press reported Monday
In addition, the leader of the DUHR Marco Bela demanded in a declaration that the Romanian government recognized independent Kosovo despite its categorical statements to the contrary.
The Romanian press also reported that a group of ethnic Hungarians celebrated Kosovo's declaration of independence Sunday night in the northern Romanian city of Cluj. The rally carried posters with slogans such as "Well Done, Kosovo!", "Rights for the Minorities", "Long Live National Autonomy!".
Ethnic Hungarians comprise 6,6% of Romania's total population according to official data. The planned administrative autonomy of the Hungarian-populated regions of Mures, Harghita, and Kovasna, has been an issue for years.
According to the leading Romanian newspapers, the unilaterally declared independence of the former Serbian province of Kosovo shattered the whole system of international jurisdiction and conflict prevention and management represented by the UN and its Security Council.
Meanwhile, the two breakaway autonomous republics in Georgia, Abkhazia and South Osetia, declared that, following the Kosovo precedent, they would ask Russia and the UN for recognition of their independence.
» Subscribe to receive alerts by email for any of these keywords.
Share:
