August 10, 2012 •English •Views: 1913

by Dan Tanasă

Despite the firm appeal of Viviane Reading, EU Commissioner for Justice, Citizenship and Fundamental Rights, on the Romanian politicians not to pressure the justice system, the political party of Hungarians in Romania is putting public pressure on the juridical system after one of their members was sentenced to 3 years in prison 

The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (DAHR) has launched a website to collect signatures against the conviction of a DAHR member, Marko Attila, to three years imprisonment for abuse against public interests for the illegal retrocession to the Reformed Diocese of Transylvania of the “Szekely Miko” College building in Saint George, Covasna county.

The website www.13020.ro aims to inform public opinion on the conviction case of Marko Attila, a politician member of DAHR, and to collect signatures against what the promoters call “the injustice against the Hungarians”. Under the slogan “Protest against the injustice – Sign the petition! They can take anything. They can pun in prison anyone!” initiators instigate the Hungarian community inRomanianot to respect a court justice sentence and try to put pressure on the higher courts that could keep this first sentence in this trial in which two politicians, DAHR members Marko Attila and Marosan Tamas, were sentenced to three years in prison.

Among the initiators of this petition we can find Tamas Sandor, President of the Covasna County Council and President of DAHR Covasna, Antal Arpad Andras, Mayor of Sfantu Gheorghe and President of DAHR Sfantu Gheorghe and MEP Gyula Winkler, member of DAHR.

People are encouraged to sign the following statement: “I protest against the forced nationalization of “Szekely Miko” College! I support Marko Attila and Marosan Tamas who were unjustly sentenced to three years imprisonment! I firmly reject this attack on the Hungarian community! “

Concerning this issue the prefect of CovasnaCounty, Codrin Munteanu, said that the “re-nationalization” by the Romanian State of the “Szekely Miko” College building in Sfantu Gheorghe, promoted by a group of protesters, is false and likely to artificially create social tensions. The Prefect made this statement after some catholic priests appealed to ethnic Hungarians to gather in front of the “Szekely Miko” College to protest against the “re-nationalization” of the “Szekely Miko” College building.

DAHR already issued a public statement on July 24 in which they express “indignation and surprise to the fact that State Secretary Attila MARKO has been convicted at first instance to serve a 3 year imprisonment sentence”. “Furthermore, the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania considers that it is outrageous and unacceptable that a responsible politician, who has fulfilled his duties taking into account the interests of the ethnic Hungarian community ofRomaniaand those of the Alliance, should be compromised in such a dishonest manner. Also, we consider that it is outrageous that the Romanian justice goes back in time and calls upon the darkest communist era as it decides to renationalize a building owned by the church”, says the DAHR press release.

“The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians inRomaniasupports Attila MARKO, as well as the other two accused persons: Tamas MAROSAN and Silviu CLIM. The DAHR takes position in favor of them, being convinced that the accusations made against them are unfounded and hoping that this unfolding political trial will soon be closed. The DAHR considers that in the case of Attila MARKO we are in fact confronted with a witch-hunt, a malicious harassment directed obviously also against those who represent the interests of the ethnic Hungarian community in Romania”.

The core problem in this case is not by far the building of the “Szekely Miko” College and it’s so called “re-nationalization” but the court sentence to jail of a DAHR member. DAHR leaders fear that this case may set a precedent in sentencing to jail a DAHR politician and for this reason they use their voters to turn this case into an ethnic scandal. In their desire to protect a fellow member of DAHR, the Hungarian politicians have no problem in creating a totally artificial ethnic scandal, forcing public opinion of the Hungarian community inRomaniato pressure the courts.