Europe needs to pay more attention to minority rights
DAHR’s MEP Csaba Sógor presented the situation of minorities in Romania at the Congress of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) in Eisenstadt, Austria. At the event, the MEP presented a country report, portraying the milestones of the minority rights movement in Romania.
In his opinion, the hardest thing was to convince the majority that minority individuals are loyal citizens, this is why DAHR’s participation in the governing coalition and its ability to keep a fragile balance is considered to be a milestone. It needs to make constant conciliations and compromises, often has to support unpopular decisions and this results in losing votes. – We still have lots to do in the field of changing the majority’s mentality and in the field of implementing already existing legislature as well. Although we support and urge decentralization, it has become obvious that the principle of subsidiarity can become a hurdle in the implementation of multilingualism and the independence of education institutions – said Csaba Sógor.
The Romanian majority is caucious of granting long-term minority rights through different acts, they do not want to support the minority rights law. This way the majority imposes a dilemma on DAHR, because the Alliance has to support the government, otherwise minority achievements may suffer. – We need to see that the rights gained through the new education law can be quickly jeopardised by the actions of nationalist politicians – explained the Hungarian MEP from Transylvania who believes that true European multiculturalism means that not only does the minority learn the majority’s language, but the majority also does the same.
The MEP feels that Europe is not interested in making a decision about minority rights either. A good example is the event in 2009 when the EP failed to adopt an opinion on protection of minority rights because the two larger groups, the socialists and the EPP, did not support it. – We must not surrender the fight – said Csaba Sógor, adding that a minority politician’s role is to convince the majority about their plans and subsequently to assure that some minorities do not rennounce their peaceful ways. Hungarians in Romania try to validate their claims through politics. Our politicians use the microphone, perhaps street rallys, but will never instigate to violence – said the MEP.
Csaba Sógor believes that non-governmental organizations play an importan part in the formulations of the minority communities’ claims and complement the policies and institutions. At the European level, the most important role is played by FUEN – said Csaba Sógor who also expressed his thanks for the open support towards the European Citizen’s Initiative put forward by DAHR.
The FUEN Congress in Eisenstadt will continue with a political assembly on the 3rd of June. The agenda of the meeting includes the subject of the European Citizen’s Initiative for minority rights.
The Romanian majority is caucious of granting long-term minority rights through different acts, they do not want to support the minority rights law. This way the majority imposes a dilemma on DAHR, because the Alliance has to support the government, otherwise minority achievements may suffer. – We need to see that the rights gained through the new education law can be quickly jeopardised by the actions of nationalist politicians – explained the Hungarian MEP from Transylvania who believes that true European multiculturalism means that not only does the minority learn the majority’s language, but the majority also does the same.
The MEP feels that Europe is not interested in making a decision about minority rights either. A good example is the event in 2009 when the EP failed to adopt an opinion on protection of minority rights because the two larger groups, the socialists and the EPP, did not support it. – We must not surrender the fight – said Csaba Sógor, adding that a minority politician’s role is to convince the majority about their plans and subsequently to assure that some minorities do not rennounce their peaceful ways. Hungarians in Romania try to validate their claims through politics. Our politicians use the microphone, perhaps street rallys, but will never instigate to violence – said the MEP.
Csaba Sógor believes that non-governmental organizations play an importan part in the formulations of the minority communities’ claims and complement the policies and institutions. At the European level, the most important role is played by FUEN – said Csaba Sógor who also expressed his thanks for the open support towards the European Citizen’s Initiative put forward by DAHR.
The FUEN Congress in Eisenstadt will continue with a political assembly on the 3rd of June. The agenda of the meeting includes the subject of the European Citizen’s Initiative for minority rights.
