At the end of the meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Laszlo Solyom, the Head of the Romanian State warned that the territorial autonomy referendum was illegal. “This referendum is claimed to be a measure to test people’s wishes. I can tell you that as long as it remains a test, we may take it as it is presented. But when those who carry out these tests today – and we are not quite sure of what they test on the Romanian State’s patience – will try to put to use the results of this so-called test, of this so-called referendum, which is illegal, the Romanian State will not hesitate to enforce the Constitution and laws of Romania. And the responsibility will rest with those who organise today an unconstitutional action on the territory of a nation-state, unitary and indivisible. And mind you, a very important thing: a sovereign state,” Traian Basescu warned.
The President emphasised that in Romania all citizens must comply with the Constitution, the fundamental law of the country which recognises the 18 national minorities and stipulates their representation in Parliament. Also, the Constitution allows minorities to use their mother tongue in Courts of law and guarantees the protection of their customs and traditions, the Head of the Romanian State emphasised.
In turn, the President of Hungary stated that he and the Hungarian State supported those minority initiatives which are organised within the framework of the Constitution.
“A President of Hungary cannot interfere with the home affairs of another sovereign state. At the same time, we have a firm position as far as the rights to which ethnic communities living on the territory of another state are entitled, both as communities and as individuals,” the Hungarian President stated, when asked whether he supported, at least in moral terms, the endeavour in counties Mures, Harghita and Covasna and whether he supported those pushing for ethnic autonomy.
Answering the same question, Laszlo Solyom pointed out that self-organisation and self-governance have a variety of forms, some of which may go beyond cultural autonomy. “An association of local self-governing entities is also possible, there already are such forms. An organisation solution beyond this option is also possible,” Solyom added.
CNS retorts to head of state
The National Szeckler Council (CNS) leadership claims that organisation of the referendum does not come against the Constitution or against the laws of the country, as it is a specific form of citizens’ expressing an opinion. CNS Vice-President Ferencz Csaba told Mediafax that President Basescu most likely made this statement under pressure by political parties, and added that the right to having an opinion cannot be denied to any individual or community.
As many as 99 per cent of the inhabitants of four Covasna County localities and one Harghita County locality voted in favour of the Szeckler County autonomy. The unofficial referendum began on Saturday and will go on in counties Covasna, Harghita and Mures until February 18.
|