2011-10-21

South-Tyrolean MEP Herbert Dorfmann was MEP Csaba Sógor’s guest at the last edition of the European Discussion Nights. As it is known, DAHR’s MEP Csaba Sógor started the European Discussion Nights one year ago in order to invite foreign MEPs to Transylvania.

The latest guest of the Nights, MEP Herbert Dorfmann held a presentation entitled „Economic Strategies Supporting Territorial Autonomy in South Tyrol” on the 20th of October at the Járosi Andor Christian Cultural Workshop and the following day at the German Study Line at the Economics Faculty of the Babes-Bolyai University.

„I wanted to introduce my colleague, Mr. Dorfmann to two different publics. Apart from the Hungarians living in Cluj, my intention was to introduce him to university students who are not Hungarian natives, but learn in the German language, are interested in minority issues and can see the economic potential of the minorities” – said MEP Csaba Sógor on Friday morning at the University.

MEP Herbert Dorfmann made an economic analysis of the South-Tyrolean autonomy and the situation of the minorities. He said that an important economic intervention was needed fifty years ago in order to stop Germans from emigrating to Austria and Germany in search of a better life. In those days there were few employment opportunities in the region, agriculture was the largest economic sector, but South Tyrol’s geographic positioning made production rather difficult. Today, 70% of the autonomous region’s income comes from tourism, five million tourists visit there every year, while the income from agriculture is only 10%. South Tyrol has an unemployment rate of 2% and the per capita GDP in the region is 32900 which is more than the national average.

„Minorities, wherever they may live, have to fight for their rights, but they need their own financial resources in order for them to be truly autonomous and independent from centralized governments” – said Dorfmann. South Tyrol contributes 10% of its income into the national budget and thus the Italian state not only solved a minority conflict, but made economic gains as well.

- Living in a minority status is a challenge for us, but a great opportunity as well because we represent the bridge between Germans and Italians. There will always be tensions in places where different cultures and religions meet and this is characteristic to our region also. We live beside each other, not with each other, but we have learned to respect the others as equals – Dorfmann explained. He added that even after five decades of autonomy, they still have to explain to Italians that they are not trying to change state border, but rather enjoy their autonomy.

MEP Csaba Sógor concluded that the South-Tyrolean model is not one to neglect. „Countries with national minorities, including Romania, have to decide whether they want to live in a nation state and poverty, or to open towards the state of regions and well being – said the Hungarian MEP from Transylvania, who also believes that it is in the economic interest of Romania to follow the South-Tyrolean example and following this path the country will not share the fate of Greece, a country that denies the existence of national minorities.