Romanian ambassador to Hungary claims to have suggested rescheduling his call

The Romanian Ambassador in Budapest has not refused reporting to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, but suggested that the meeting be held on Monday, according to Romania's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE). "With regard to the invitation of the Romanian ambassador in Budapest at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, we would like to inform that the meeting was not rejected by the Romanian side, which suggested that it take place on Monday," according to MAE. According to Hungary's MTI news agency, 'Romania's ambassador to Hungary has been summoned to the foreign ministry to account for Thursday's events at a WW1 memorial cemetery in Valea Uzului (Uzvolgye) but refused to comply, citing conflicting orders.' MAE "firmly rejects the accusations and unacceptable language used by the Hungarian official, urging the Hungarian side to refrain from the provocations and escalation of tensions fueled by the presence of a Hungarian high official at the Valea Uzului International Cemetery and by a distorted presentation of the situation in Valea Uzului and the events of June 6." According to MAE, available information indicates that the Hungarian official was present in Romania "without an official invitation from the Romanian side." "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to emphasise the international nature of the Valea Uzului cemetery and the unrestricted right of each country to commemorate its heroes buried in that cemetery," MAE points out. At the same time, the ministry points out that law enforcement officers ensured the public peace in the area and adds that "there was no violence among the participants or between the participants and the law enforcement forces during the event." The Romanian side says that it continually urged to calm and moderation, noting with regret the contrary attitude of the Hungarian officials both in their public statements and by the incitement advocated on social media, according to MAE. The Romanian ministry also points out that "it remains open to dialogue to identify, in a constructive and balanced manner, practical solutions that are accepted by the entire local community, Romanians and Hungarians alike." It also informs that on June 7, it sent a note verbale to the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade expressing its strong protestation at the "profanation, again, of the symbols of Romania's statehood as part of an unauthorised demonstration at the Embassy of Romania in Budapest of extremist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic Hungarian groups: the Sixty-Four Counties Youth Movement and the Mi Hazank Party." "The seriousness of these acts is indisputable and requires firm action by the Hungarian public authorities in the light of the international obligations regarding the security of the diplomatic missions and the protection of their dignity. It is also outrageous the profanation of Romania's statehood signs with revisionist and revanchist signs made in the presence of the Hungarian police officers, whose primary responsibility would have been to prevent such acts," MAE points out. The ministry also expresses "its dismay at the fact that the authorities in Budapest did not prevent the repetition of the profanation of Romania's statehood signs despite the firm demands from the Romanian government." "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is strongly urging the Hungarian authorities to discourage and condemn such manifestations with all the legal instruments at their disposal and also to start an investigation to find put the culprits and to assess the passiveness of the police teams involved. MAE is also calling on the authorities in Budapest to refrain from any gestures likely to contribute to the escalation of the situation." AGERPRES (RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)