The Civic Forum of the Romanians from Covasna, Harghita and Mureș Counties (FCRCHM) and the “Covasna-Harghita” European Centre of Research (CESCH) organized on Sunday, March 14, the third edition of the event “Romanians for Romanians”.
The event marked, on March 14, the Day of solidarity of Romanians from all over the world with the Romanians in Covasna, Harghita and Mureș counties.
The meeting was held at the Museum of Romanian Spirituality from the Orthodox cathedral in Sfântu Gheorghe.
Among the participants: Ionuț Neagu, Senator of Covasna, Dan Tanasă, Deputy of Mureș, FCRCHM members, local officials, Orthodox priests and representatives of Romanian cultural institutions and schools from the counties of Covasna, Harghita and Mureș.
The program included a debate entitled “Romanians for Romanians. Solidarity with the Romanians of Covasna, Harghita and Mureș counties”, a session of presentations and the 2021 edition of the “Priest Ilie Moldovan” Awards ceremony.
The event concluded with the adoption of the document entitled “Our Wishes”, comprising 10 requests addressed to all Romanians and to relevant state authorities.
The requests of the Romanians from Covasna, Harghita and Mureș counties:
- We want speedy drafting of a strategy to combat the autonomy projects promoted by the leaders of Hungarian political and civic organizations in the area with support from Budapest; we require that a stop be put to the de facto installation of a state of co-sovereignty with Hungary in the nostalgically-called “Szecklerland”; we want a normal interethnic coexistence, in a multi-ethnical and multi-confessional area, not in an ethnic enclave;
- We want the Romanian Parliament and the Government of Romania to find proper ways to apply the provisions of the Explanatory Memorandum of the Recommendation 1201 of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, which states that “the exercise of the rights and freedoms listed in this protocol fully applies to the persons belonging to the majority in the whole of the state but who constitute a minority in one or several of its regions”.
- We want our country to change its attitude towards us. We do not ask for privileges, we just wish to eliminate discrimination: we want to feel at home here, at the sources of the Mureș and Olt rivers, here, in the Arc of the Carpathian Mountains; we want to ensure new perspectives for our youth, our children and grandchildren, so they can fully accomplish themselves here and not elsewhere; we want the Romanian Parliament and the Government of Romania to support the normal functioning of the main institutions which support our identity: the Church, education and culture in the Romanian language.
- We want the status of Romanian as an official language in public administration to be respected and local norms that interfere with it to be amended;
- We want a law to repair the abuse of illegal “return of property” for agricultural lands, forests and buildings in Transylvania;
- We want proper financial support from the state budget for the Romanian-language mass-media in the counties of Covasna, Harghita and Mureș;
- We want the support of mass media and social media, in order to inform people about the problems of the Romanians from the Arc of the Carpathians;
- We need practical ways to stimulate the solidarity of all the Romanians with the Romanians from the counties of Covasna, Harghita and Mureș;
- We want improved communication with the Members of the Romanian Parliament and the Romanian Members of the European Parliament so that they become aware of the real configuration of inter-ethical coexistence in the counties of Covasna, Harghita and Mureș and we need them to contribute to the betterment of it;
- We want to continue the dialogue and interethnic and interconfessional cooperation for a good coexistence, by overcoming lack of trust and fostering mutual respect and the best proposals and solutions for the progress of local communities.
FCRCHM offers yearly five “Priest Ilie Moldovan” Awards to people and organizations who support Romanian spirituality, culture and education in the Romanian language in the three counties,
The 2022 edition of the event “Romanians for Romanians” will be held at Toplița, in the county of Harghita.
Photo credit: Mesagerul de Covasna newspaper
