| THE ANNIVERSARY OF ETHNIC HUNGARIANS IN ROMANIA 16/03/2009 |
| (2009-03-16) |
| Last updated: 2009-03-17 15:37 EET |
Just like every year, on March the 15th ethnic Hungarians in Romania celebrated the Day of Hungarians from Around the World, marking 161 years since the start of the 1848 Revolution against Habsburg domination.
The events took place in Transylvania (central Romania) where there is a high density of ethnic Hungarians, some 1.6 million people. Romanian President Traian Basescu took the opportunity to deliver a message to the ethnic Hungarians in Romania, underlining they should be proud they are Romanian citizens. The president also said Romania is the motherland of all its citizens, irrespective of ethnic origins. President Basescu went on to say that if during the communist regime human rights, national minorities’ rights included, were neglected, in the last 20 years huge steps have been taken towards building a democratic, pluralistic society, where minority rights are guaranteed by the Constitution. Given that Romania and Hungary are now part of the same European family, with common aims of well-being and modernization, assuming the pride and the twofold identity, of being an ethnic Hungarian and a Romanian citizen at the same time, has become easier and more natural than it has ever been in the past – President Basescu also said in his message. In his congratulatory message, Prime Minister Emil Boc said he appreciated the important role the Hungarian community played in the evolution of Romanian society.
”Romania and Hungary are linked by their European vision and European partnership, which materialize in a joint series of projects and policies, to the benefit of the two countries’ citizens”, Emil Boc also said. The Romanian Prime Minister also said that celebrating the Day of the Hungarians Around the World is an opportunity for all Romanian citizens to build their European future in harmony. However, the Day of the Hungarians Around the World did not pass without incidents. Hungarian President, Solyom Laszlo, who should have attended Sunday’s festivities organized in Transylvania to celebrate the Day of Hungarians arrived in Romania a day earlier by car, and not by plane as he hadn’t got a landing permission, sources with the Presidential Administration in Budapest say.
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2025-04-03
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