William Penn Life, 2005 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2005-02-01 / 2. szám
Magyar Matters Building Bridges Leaders of Hungary and Romania meet in attempt to help Romania join EU and ease old tensions from The Budapest Sun Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány says his government will hold joint cabinet meetings annually with Romania in order to help its neighbor join the European Union and "ease the historic burden" of the two countries' relations. The premier met with his Romanian counterpart Calin Tariceanu in Budapest Jan. 17. The two said the first joint cabinet meeting will take place this fall. Bilateral relations between the two countries have long been strained, not least because of the land Hungary lost to Romania, which has a Hungarian minority of approximately two million, following World War I. "It is not only an opportunity, but also a duty of Hungary in the upcoming years to support Romania's European Union entry," Gyurcsány said. "All debates must be kept within that framework." Speaking to Hungary's international press, Tariceanu said, "my meeting with Hungarian officials is symbolic of the special partnership between Hungary and Romania, two countries now reaching a new period-the end of transition from communism. "This period is now characterized not by the problems of the past, but by our future common projects, such as bilateral political and economic issues," Tariceanu said. Tariceanu formed his coalition cabinet just under a month ago and chose Hungary as his first foreign visit since taking office—itself seen as a symbolic gesture. Romania is hoping to join the EU in 2007. Gyurcsány said the Hungarian government would not blackmail Romania by holding out the prospect of vetoing its EU entry, as suggested by opposition parties in Hungary. "I would not like to toy with the idea of vetoing-as the opposition does-Romania's EU entry, sending a message to the Romanian Government that Hungary is one of the 25 EU members in a position to say no," Gyurcsány said. Following the failed dual citizenship referendum in Hungary on Dec. 5, the topic of citizenship for ethnic Hungarians abroad and Gyurcsány's provisional plans for a national visa for ethnic Hungarians were also discussed by the two prime ministers. Tariceanu told the press that it is now up to officials from the Romanian ministry of foreign affairs to examine this and better understand what Hungary is proposing, indicating that any plans are only in their infancy. Tariceanu also touched on the subject of autonomy, and said he favored greater autonomy but not on the basis of ethnicity. "We need a new mentality. Hungarians or Romanians are citizens of equal rights and responsibilities. For me, there are not two categories of Romanian citizens." Another topic the Romanian premier was keen to respond to was Hungarian concerns over the planned gold mine at Rosia Montana. The Hungarian public and environmentalists are anxious not to see another spill such as the one in 2000, when a Romanian gold mine in Baia Mare spilled cyanide into rivers and destroyed 30 to 40 percent of the flora and fauna in the river Tisza. The accident created toxic pollution 200 times the maximum safe limit. Romania has pledged to involve Hungary in the official licensing process of the mining project. The prime minister acknowledged that the mining project has also been questioned in Romania, where the media raised questions concerning environmental impact, archeological heritage and the "origin of the money invested". Tariceanu said that these issues were more than enough to warrant an attentive analysis of the project. |wpl| In Brief PM meets leaders of Hungarian minority communities from The Budapest Sun BUDAPEST-The heads of the minority Hungarian communities in Slovakia and Vojvodina met with Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány and President Ferenc Mádl, requesting them to convince the Hungarian Parliament to reconsider passing a law on dual citizenship for Hungarians abroad. József Kasza, Chairman of the Vojvodina Hungarian Alliance, and Béla Bugár, Chairman of the Slovakia Hungarian Coalition, were in Budapest in January in an attempt to circumvent the failed Dec. 5 referendum on dual citizenship. Bugár said while he acknowledges the current Hungarian government is not too enthusiastic about granting dual citizenship, Hungarians abroad expect the homeland to understand that they want dual citizenship. Help the American Hungarian Foundation celebrate 50 years Since 1955, the American Hungarian Foundation has preserved and promoted the historic, artistic and cultural heritage of Hungarians in America. As the Foundation marks its 50th anniversary, you can help the AHF to continue its important work by joining the WPA in financially supporting the AHF. Please send your tax-deductible donation, made payable to “William Penn Association Foundation” to: William Penn Association, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. Please note on your check that your donation is intended for the AHF. 1 1 William Penn Life, February 2005
