Romanian Coalition Keeps Hungarians on Board

The Democratic Union of Hungrians in Romania, UDMR, has decided to stay in the center-left coalition, although party leader Kelemen Hunor has announced that he will step down from his cabinet post.

“The UDMR is remaining in the coalition, as this is the only way to better fight for our rights as an ethnic minority… But I will resign as Culture Minister and Vice Prime Minister,” Hunor said at the end of a party meeting on Saturday.

Hunor added he would concentrate more on leading the party’s activities, including preparations for the presidential elections in November.

The UDMR threatened to leave the government after it came out against an international initiative calling for new safeguards for the rights for minorities across Europe.

The "Minority SafePack" calls for the EU to assume certain responsibilities that are solely regulated by national laws at present.

The "SafePack" is the initiative of the Federal Union of European Nationalities, a non-governmental organisation, and was strongly supported by the UDMR.

The UDMR seeks greater autonomy for those regions in Transylvania where most Hungarians live. A bill in this regard is to be presented soon to the public.

About 7 per cent of Romania's 19.5 million citizens are ethnic Hungarians. The 600,000 so-called Szeklers have long campaigned for an autonomous region in Transylvania, which formed part of the Kingdom of Hungary until the end of the First World War.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta has previously said he would address the Hungarian minority’s call for autonomy in conformity with the country’s constitution and European norms.

The UDMR has been a junior partner in different ruling coalitions several times in the last 20 years...