Hungarian American Coalition News, 2000 (9. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2000 / 3. szám
Madach Posonium, in spite of its pledge to support the cultural programs of national minorities. For the past three years the Hungarian American Coalition has made a significant contribution to help maintain Madach Posonium's commitment to the publication and promotion of Hungarian literature in Slovakia. Teenage Music Festival in Temerin, Vojvodina The Hungarian American Coalition is delighted to sponsor the 9th Annual Teenage Song-and-Dance Competition in Temerin, Vojvodina. Along with having fun, the purpose of the competition is to identify and support those talented young Hungarians who may represent pop music in Vojvodina and abroad. A further aim of the festival is to encourage the successful appearance of young Hungarians of Vojvodina at "Ki mit tud?" ("Who knows what?"), a famous Hungarian talent-contest. HAC Leaders Press for Minority Rights During Roundtable Discussion with Former Romanian President Ion Iliescu On September 12, 2000, Coalition Chairman, Edith Lauer, and Executive Committee members Dr. Edward Chaszar and Frank Koszorús, Jr. attended a Roundtable Discussion organized by Center for Strategic and Intenational Studies for Mr. Iliescu. The purpose of Iliescu's trip was to polish his image in Washington, promote Western investments, and posture Romania as a strategic partner of the United States. Out of approximately ten questions, three focused on issues affecting the Hungarian minority. Frank Koszorús, Jr. asked Mr. Iliescu whether he supports the recently adopted "urgent ordinance" against discrimination. In his answer, Mr. Iliescu referred to Romania as a unitary state, which, he said, prevented him from supporting territorial autonomy. He also asserted that Romania's record was superior to Hungary, ignoring that the latter gives far-ranging local autonomy, local representation, and generous financial assistance to minority communities and their institutions in Hungary. Edith Lauder asked the former Romanian President if he recognized that there was a major problem in the area of church property restitution, and if elected, what would he do to address this problem? Mr. Iliescu sidestepped the question by stating that property restitution was a general problem in Romania, where people should not expect to have unreasonable claims satisfied by "going back to the Austro-Hungarian Imperium". NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS Hungarian Communion of Friends Installs 19 Satellite Dishes in Romania Since 1995, the Hungarian Communion of Friends (MBK) has installed satellite dishes in 19 communities and institutions in Romania, predominantly in Transylvania. The project was initiated by MKB's former President, Balazs Somogyi. These needy and isolated communities with no access to cable-tv, sometimes without access to the standard Romanian media are now able to receive Hungarian S • Hungarian American Coalition • October 2000
