“Anti-Hungarian voices and outbursts amongst the Romanian political elite have increased, which is unacceptable, and action must be taken against it”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday in Parliament.

In reaction to a pre-agenda speech by Fidesz MP László Böröcz concerning Hungarian-Romanian relations, the Minister stressed: “Hungary has always striven to maintain effective and pragmatic cooperation with Romania, based on mutual respect, and this will continue to be the case in future in view of the fact that the better the relationship between the mother country and the state that is home to a Hungarian community, the better it is for the given community”.

“With relation to Romania, there was a period when we were able to report on particularly positive processes, because for instance the reopening of the Roman Catholic Lyceum would not have been possible without pragmatic dialogue with the Romanian party based on mutual respect”, he recalled.

According to the Minister, however, following a temporary period of positive processes and results, “anti-Hungarian voices and outbursts amongst the Romanian political elite have once again increased”.

“This is obviously unacceptable, and action must be taken against it; Hungarian foreign policy cannot remain silent in such a situation, and when issues relating to Romania arise on international forums, the Hungarian position cannot be independent of anti-Hungarian outbursts and provocation”, he stated.

Mr. Szijjártó said the desecration of the military cemetery in Úzvölgy (Valea Uzului), and the fact that following the events is isn’t those who acted aggressively, but the Hungarian officials who organised the peaceful commemoration who are being punished, was unacceptable.

“According to current expert opinion, the Romanians erected concrete crosses above the remains of at least twenty Hungarian soldiers, meaning this state of desecration must be eliminated”, he stated.

Hungary expects the Romanian authorities to punish those responsible and to stop the “bullying” of peaceful commemorators, “particularly on a national basis”, he added.

The Minister said he also regards the new Romanian Public Administration Act as unacceptable, in view of the fact that it sets Romania back ten years within relation to minority rights, in addition to which it violates bilateral commitments and European standards relating to the respecting of acquired minority rights.

Mr. Szijjártó said it is also unacceptable that the Hungarian Faculty at the University of Medicine and Pharmacology in Târgu Mureș (Marosvásrhely) has still not been allowed to open, despite the fact that its establishment is set down by law in Romania.

“The Hungarian Government supports the efforts of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) with relation to assuring that the acquired rights of Hungarians are respected in Romania”, he emphasised.

(MTI)