Strong partnership for an effective political representation of young Hungarians in Transylvania
The Hungarian Youth Council of Romania (HYCR) held its extraordinary board meeting in Brussels. The leaders of the HYCR were hosted by MEP Gyula Winkler and Csaba Sógor between the 24th and the 26th of June. Tuesday, on the 25th, the board of the youth organisation met with the DAHR MEPs of the European Parliament in order to take stock of the ten years of cooperation between the two organisations and to discuss the common agenda.
In his opening speech Gyula Winkler spoke about the representation mission of young leaders. The MEP pointed out that the most pressing issue young Europeans face is unemployment. The situation in Spain, Greece and in other European member states is tragic; we have to make sure the situation in Romania does not become worse than it already is. The responsibility of these young leaders is to play a role in the preparatory work of decision making; this is also what the DAHR - HYCR cooperation is based upon. The expectations and goals of the European youth have to be heard by the European People’s Party and have to be included in the election manifesto which is now under preparation. The DAHR MEPs and their team would lend all their support for this, said Winkler.
Csaba Sógor encouraged the leaders of the HYCR to stand up for their ideas, to persuade the DAHR to make their goals reality and to find joy in their work. He stressed that the European People’s Party is the Union’s leading force, and that he expected of this organisation to come up with the solution to unemployment and to the failure of some right wing governments. The energy and enthusiasm of young people and their ideas could bring a long term solution to fighting the crisis of Europe, pointed out the MEP.
József Szabó, chairman of the HYCR, talked about the generation change in the organisation. In his opinion there will always be young people eager to continue the cooperative work, including on a European level. The HYCR president said: “Strategic partnerships are the foundation of our organisation. Thus, the agreement with the DAHR MEPs is of great importance to the Hungarian youth living in Transylvania.”
Adorján Jakab, vice chairman of the youth organisation presented the main topics from the agenda of the 10th EU Camp, organised between the 2nd and 7th of July at Izvoru Mureşului. The HYCR focused on the hottest topics Hungarian youth are interested in: regionalisation, constitution amendment, the European Citizens Initiative and the upcoming EU elections. The DAHR MEPs will also be present at the debate called New Europe Now! – Let’s build it together.
Csaba Sógor, Gyula Winkler and the leaders of the HYCR have signed a common statement called Strong partnership for an effective political representation of young Hungarians in Transylvania. The document states that the cooperation between the youth organisation and the DAHR is all the more substantial with the EU level representation, and it now extends to further areas. They have agreed to continue with the existing programmes, and to elaborate new, common initiatives so that the objectives of the Hungarian youth of Transylvania can be promoted in the EU, too. The HYCR has been increasingly present on the international field, this is proven by the fact that it obtained full membership in the EPP’s youth organisation, the YEPP. The MEPs welcomed the achievement that was also actively supported by them.
The document also finds that the biggest challenge the Hungarian community in Romania will face in the near future is the upcoming European Parliamentary election. The decisions affecting our day to day lives are made on a local, national and EU level. Thus, the presence of the DAHR in the local administrations and in the Romanian Parliament can only be successful, if we are also present in the EP. The HYCR has agreed to play a major role in the EP campaign, as always, and to effectively represent the interests of the Hungarian youth in Romania on an EU level. The cornerstone of the DAHR agenda is to make it possible for the Hungarians living in Transylvania to thrive in their own homeland. This common goal can only be achieved with the active help of the youth, states the document signed by the MEPs and the leaders of the HYCR.
