by Dan Tanasa

The Hungarian Parliament is supporting the reburial of Nyiro Jozsef, a Hungarian writer born in Romania in 1889, at Odorheiul Secuiesc, in Harghita County, Romania, this Sunday. Over one hundred thousand Hungarians, already present in Romania to celebrate a religious event will attend the ceremony of Nyiro Jozsef`s reburial.

A diplomatic scandal which was provoked by Hungary is threatening the diplomatic relations between the two EU and NATO member countries after the Hungarian Parliament decided to support both financially and logistically the reburial of an anti-Semitic writer named Nyiro Jozsef. The writer was born inRomaniain 1889 and died in Spain in 1953 and buried in Almudena Cemetery from Madrid. His remains were brought to Budapestat the beginning of this month.

The Hungarian authorities insist in going forward with tomorrow’s ceremony despite the official position of the Romanian authorities who do not agree with the reburial of Nyiro inRomania.

Several archive documents brought to public opinion’s attention by European Center of Studies Covasna-Harghita, The Forum of Romanians from Covasna, Harghita and Mures, journalist Victor Roncea, historian Vasile Lechintan and several other historians and journalists revealed that the writer Nyiro Jozsef was an avid supporter of the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler, a former member of the fascist regime of Ferenc Szalasi and an an openly anti-semite. Nyiro published dozens of articles in magazines he edited supporting Hitler`s war effort against the Allied troops during the Second World War and saluted atrocities carried out against Romanians in Northern Transylvania after the Vienna Dictate from 30 of august 1940 when part of Transylvania was occupied byHungary.

Based on his controversial past, the Romanian authorities refused to authorize the reburial of Nyiro inRomania, especially after hard evidence of his anti-Semite activity came to light. Several members of the Romanian Government indicated that Romania does not agree with the reburial of Nyiro inRomania, including Prime Minister Victor Ponta.

Despite all this, the Hungarian authorities decided to continue organizing the festivities programmed to take place tomorrow at Odorheiul Secuiesc. Several Hungarian officials will be present, including the president of the Hungarian Parliament.

Yesterday, the The Federation of Jewish Communities from Romania issued a public statement in which they disagree with the reburial of Nyiro in Romania based on his anti-Semitic believes. This position is supported also by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

At this time the Prefecture of Harghita County has taken legal actions against the official document issued by the Odorheiul Secuiesc City Hall that permitted the reburial of Nyiro, so basically at that time the Hungarian organizers have no legal ground to proceed.

Updates here.

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