The common Szeklerland Office represents Harghita, Covasna and Mures counties’ solidarity -Declaration
Established by the County Councils of Harghita, Covasna and Mures counties, the joint Representative Office of Szeklerland will open on the 1st of June. Thus Szeklerland joins the long list of regions, counties and cities that have their own representative office in the capital of Europe. Earlier on, amongst others, the National Council of County Councils in Romania and the County Councils of Timis and Cluj had also opened offices in Brussels.
Us, the Hungarian members of the European Parliament from Transylvania, salute the fact that public administration leaders from Harghita, Covasna and Mures counties decided – legally – to have a shared representation in Europe, thus enabling themselves to promote the Szekler region through a common strategy and image. This provides for the opportunity to coordinate economic and other projects in the field of tourism, cultural exchange, enterprises and other areas of social life.
The staff of the office will inform local authorities and businesses about the calls for proposals available and provide assistance in obtaining funds. This is an important acitivity because out of the 12 new member states that have adhered to the EU in the last decade Romania is last with its 7% ratio of EU funds-absorption. This result also shows that the regional division of the state is not structurally and institutionally suitable for a more substantial absorbtion. This is why rearrangement of develolment regions, based upon historical traditions and internal cohesion forces is necessary, in order to establish new, more prosperous develoment regions – this is a goal that both DAHR and the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania can support. These statements are known to local leaders and politicians, but the justice system is yet to exceed it narrow-mindedness that is outdated from an European point of view. It is our belief that the three counties should belong to one region due their common past, culture and language – this is why they desire to plan and shape their future together..
We firmly reject any attempt to use the opening of the Representative Office of Szeklerland as a means for obtaining internal political gain. We consider it to be alarming that the establishment of a regional promotion office which represens public institutions, does not and will never have political goal, stirs extremist-nationalist feelings. The presence of a region in Brussels in normal and is part of everyday life.
Brussels, 27th of May, 2011
László Tőkés, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Csaba Sógor, MEP (DAHR) and Gyula Winkler, MEP (DAHR)
The staff of the office will inform local authorities and businesses about the calls for proposals available and provide assistance in obtaining funds. This is an important acitivity because out of the 12 new member states that have adhered to the EU in the last decade Romania is last with its 7% ratio of EU funds-absorption. This result also shows that the regional division of the state is not structurally and institutionally suitable for a more substantial absorbtion. This is why rearrangement of develolment regions, based upon historical traditions and internal cohesion forces is necessary, in order to establish new, more prosperous develoment regions – this is a goal that both DAHR and the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania can support. These statements are known to local leaders and politicians, but the justice system is yet to exceed it narrow-mindedness that is outdated from an European point of view. It is our belief that the three counties should belong to one region due their common past, culture and language – this is why they desire to plan and shape their future together..
We firmly reject any attempt to use the opening of the Representative Office of Szeklerland as a means for obtaining internal political gain. We consider it to be alarming that the establishment of a regional promotion office which represens public institutions, does not and will never have political goal, stirs extremist-nationalist feelings. The presence of a region in Brussels in normal and is part of everyday life.
Brussels, 27th of May, 2011
László Tőkés, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Csaba Sógor, MEP (DAHR) and Gyula Winkler, MEP (DAHR)
