The Transylvanian Hungarians’ Alliance (EMSZ) has sent a letter to European People’s Party (EPP) President Donald Tusk asking the EPP to take a stand against the inflammatory and nationalist statement made by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis that was released on Thursday.
“It is our conviction that the European People’s Party should make a clear stand in defense of European values and should not tolerate hate speech by a member of a party belonging to their political family,” the EMSZ wrote in a letter signed by its co-chairs. “The EPP should firmly and without delay act against the hate speech propagated by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.”
Last Thursday, Iohannis accused the ethnic Hungarian minority in Transylvania, the Social Democratic Party and the prime minister himself of plotting to give Transylvania to Hungary in a two-minute video statement released by the Romanian president’s office.
“It is incredible what kind of agreements are being reached in the Romanian Parliament,” Iohannis said. “While we, myself, the government and the other authorities are fighting the coronavirus outbreak, the Romanian Social Democrat Party, the big Romanian Social Democrat Party, is fighting in secret parliamentary offices to give Transylvania to the Hungarians.”
In his opening of his statement, he even addressed the PSD in Hungarian, saying “Jó napot kívánok, PSD!” which translates to “Good day, PSD” in Hungarian.
Part of the message was directed at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
“Good day Ciolacu!” Iohannis said again in Hungarian, “What did the leader from Budapest, Viktor Orbán, promise you in exchange for this agreement?”
Orbán, however, in his weekly radio interview on Friday called for calm and said he refused to pick up the gauntlet thrown at him by Iohannis.
“I wouldn’t suggest that we change our current policy,” Orbán said. “If forced, we will of course pick up the gauntlet, but I don’t suggest we pick up the gauntlet now thrown at our feet.”
Title image: Romanian President Klaus Iohannis delivering his inflammatory speech. (source: presidency.ro)
