The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (known by its Hungarian acronym of RMDSZ) and the Transylvanian Hungarian Alliance (known by its Hungarian acronym of EMSZ) have signed an agreement regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections. RMDSZ President Hunor Kelemen and János Mezei, co-president of EMSZ, signed an agreement regarding the coordinated representation of the Transylvanian Hungarian community in order to cooperate in the elections.
Both parties will run joint candidates in the parliamentary elections taking place on December 6, with EMSZ getting two spots on the RMDSZ list of candidates running for the Chamber of Deputies.
The document secures the cooperation on more levels as well, including the development of a constructive relationship with local representatives, where foremen will lead the city halls so that politically based conflicts don’t hinder the development of the municipality or the community.
“The parties, through their foremen, will display and represent the case of the specific developmental, economic and administrative legal status of Transylvania and its regions, especially those of Szeklerland and Partium,” the agreement reads.
It also mentions they will jointly present to the parliament the draft law of the Charter of Autonomy. Furthermore, they will work out and present to the parliament the national symbols and legal package for ensuring the free usage of the Hungarian mother tongue. The agreement also addresses a foreign policy formed along Hungarian interests. In their coordinated foreign policy strategy, European civil initiatives will get priority, such as Minority SafePack and the case of the national regions.
According to the communication of EMSZ, besides the status of autonomy and national symbols, the other main target of the coalition will be the reform of the Romanian Hungarian educational system: Both parties agreed upon the creation of a working group that will be tasked with pursuing a new legal package to reform the Hungarian educational system in Romania.
“It is a typical Hungarian characteristic that we easily get mixed up in a debate and persist with our opinion to the end. But at the same time, it is also characteristic of us that in hard, times we unite. It is the same in politics also: In some cities, we debate and compete, but in the parliament, we fight for the same thing: For Hungarians to have strong representation,” said Hunor Kelemen, the president of RMDSZ, in his declaration following the agreement.
According to János Mezei, the coalition is important to EMSZ based on the agreement referring to national politics and educational issues. “Transylvanian politics is colorful, thus there is a place for competition, but there must also be a place for cooperation. We have to establish the Transylvanian Hungarian [identity] so that our community can have real representation. While on the county level, it is important that the most suitable people obtain leading positions as a result of healthy competition, on the national level, we have to be united so that we can defend the interest of the Hungarian community,” Mezei, said.
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Featured photo: János Mezei and Hunor Kelemen, courtesy of RMDSZ
