THE
PROGRAMME OF THE DEMOCRATIC
FUNDAMENTAL
PRINCIPLES
1.
The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
(DAHR) is the community of the autonomous territorial, political, social and
cultural organisations of Hungarians in
2.
The Hungarians in
The
DAHR considers the right to motherland as a fundamental individual and
collective right. In this respect, it supports the solutions, which maintain,
strengthen and augment the Hungarian national community on its motherland.
Due
to its historical, cultural and traditional patrimony, the Hungarians in
a.
The main interests of the Hungarian national minority,
as an autonomous community is interested in:
b.
the access to all the necessary conditions which
enable it to preserve its national identity, including the network of its own
institutions;
c.
the self-organization and development in all the
fields of economy in a transparent economic environment which ensures equal
opportunities;
d.
the development of the rule of law, the
democratization of the Romanian society, the consolidation and proper functioning
of its institutions, the development of market economy, followed by Romania’s
integration into the European community;
e.
the development of a normal and harmonious coexistence
with the Romanian nation and the other national minorities in order to be able
to feel at home in its native country; all these are based on co-ordinate
relations among citizens with equal rights, relationships which exclude all
forms of discrimination, national exclusiveness or supremacy;
f.
the free cultivation of its relationship with the
mother-country and the Hungarians throughout the world.
The
accomplishment of these goals is not only to the benefit of the Hungarian
national community in
4.
The DAHR, guided by the principle of internal
self-determination, considers its duty to establish a political, economic,
social cultural, judicial and administrative framework able to grant full
equality of rights, individual and collective rights for the Hungarian national
community in
Therefor,
the DAHR urges the implementation of the following goals concerning the general
democratization and modernization of
a.
the constitutional endowment and
effective observance of fundamental human rights and freedoms, such as: the
right to life, the right to work or to equitable unemployment pay, professional
retraining, as well as regulated working hours and paid leave provided by law,
the freedom of expression and the freedom of press, the right to human dignity
and to motherland, the freedom of religion and conscience, the freedom of
association, the right to participation in public life, the freedom to choose
one's own residence, the right to personal freedom and the collective rights of
all national minorities, irrespective whether the Romanian government is
assumed the responsibility and undertook the obligation for the observance of
these rights and freedoms or not;
–
consolidation and adequate functioning of the parliamentary state based on the
rule of law; establishment and operation of a democratic and pluralist
political system fashioned in the spirit of and according to the requirements
of European law and order; instilling of the spirit of pluralism, which would
allow the respect for different opinions and interests as well as the
recognition of the legality of their representation; guaranteeing of the
proportionate representation of the Hungarian minority at local and central
level;
–
the modernization and decentralization of economic structures, the development
of market economy based on private property;
–
the further support of integration into NATO structures. In this respect, it
militates for the establishment of an army formed exclusively of a minimal
number of necessary, suitably instructed and equipped regulars. It promotes the
mentality which emphasizes the role of military techniques and high-level
instruction of soldiers.
–
demilitarization of the police, the gendarmerie and the fire–brigade, as well
as their subordination to local administrations;
–
the broadening of the civilian control over national security organs and the
elimination of their nationalist orientation;
–
certain measures providing the social security of the citizens, thereby
compensating them for the adverse effects of inflation and unemployment;
introduction of a social security system; regulations which favour for the
effective defence of employees undertaken by the trade unions. The fundamental
principle of the social policy of the DAHR is to join social solidarity with
the social responsibility of the individual. Social assistance in itself is
inexpedient. The needy must also mobilize their energy to improve their
situation.
–
the creation of a market economy adequate for the establishment of a modern
economic structure; decentralization of the economic, cultural and educational
institutions;
–
the efficient operation of the institutional system of local administrations,
local societies and of the self-supporting civil society, in the spirit of the
European Charter on Local Government.
b.
The Hungarians of Romania consider
the effective defence of the interests connected to the preservation of their
identity, the guaranteeing of the related rights, equal chances and necessary
means attainable only within the institutional framework of the autonomies
established according to the principle of the rule of law.
In
this sense the DAHR regards:
·
the
·
Recommendation No. 1201 (1993) and Resolution No. 508
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
·
the Final Document of the
·
the Final Document of the
·
Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to
National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities of the General Assembly
of the United Nations Organizations (18 December 1992)
·
the European Charter for Regional or Minority
Languages
·
the Basic Treaty between
·
the Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities (1995, Council of Europe) including the mechanisms which
serve the monitoring of their observance as a compulsory standard.
The
autonomy is:
·
a principle, which has to be put into practice during
the establishment of the institutions of the state based on the rule of law;
·
a right exercised by the national community with the
aim to defend, express, develop and preserve its national identity;
·
a means for the Hungarian community of
·
a strategic objective pursued by the DAHR both in its
political activity and in its relationship with the organisations of the civil
society.
The
DAHR wishes to elaborate theoretically, formulate legally and validate through
legislation the different forms of autonomy, including the territorial
autonomy. It urges the general decentralisation and the application of the
principle of subsidiarity. The alliance considers as precedents the positive
traditions of the cohabitation of Transylvanian ethnic groups and the exemplary
models of autonomy that function in
The
autonomy based on personal principle provides the Hungarians of Romania with a
framework to establish their own system of educational, cultural and
informative institutions as well as their own system of institutions meant to
ensure the preservation of traditions and the protection of monuments. This
form of autonomy is exercised by public corporations elected by persons
belonging to the Hungarian community. The self-government of the Hungarian
national community will come into being through the registration that applies
the principle of the free choice of ethnic identity and through general, secret
and direct elections held on the basis of the election lists drawn up as a
result of the registration.
The
administrative units, where the proportion of the persons belonging to national
minorities is considerable, are entitled to autonomy exercised by the local
administrations with special status, provided that the population adopts the
special status through referendum.
The
territorial autonomy comes into being as soon as the local administrations form
associations in order to promote their common interests.
We
consider very important:
·
the development of social conditions that enable each
citizen to freely assume, preserve and nurture his ethnic identity, to use his
national symbols without being exposed to any kind of social, moral or judicial
discrimination;
·
the creation of the legal framework that will allow
the free use of the native-language in different areas of social life, in the
spirit of the above mentioned international documents;
·
the establishment of an autonomous network of cultural
institutions and of a native-language educational network, which comprises all
levels and forms of instruction and training of specialists for the Hungarians
in
·
the improvement of the financial, economic,
professional and social conditions of the mass media in Hungarian language: its
levelling up and the support of efforts which aim at the objective information
of the public opinion;
·
the proportional share for the Hungarian national
community of the funds allocated for cultural and educational purposes from the
state budget;
c.
In the field of the development of
forms of harmonious coexistence among Romanian citizens of different ethnic
backgrounds:
·
the development of complex inter-ethnic relations that
will allow the genuinely reciprocal knowledge of the different ethnic
communities;
·
the restraining of all nationalist, chauvinist and
anti-Semitic feelings, suspicions, national prejudices and verbal aggressions
on each side, and the development of an atmosphere of tolerance towards what is
different, as well as of a new public atmosphere inspired by the spirit of
social solidarity;
·
the punishment by law of all forms of nationalist,
chauvinist and anti-Semitic instigation (for example: unfounded accusations,
false rumours, slander, the suggestion of collective guilt, the propagation of
racial prejudices, etc.);
·
the management of conflicts of interest, if they
arise, through civilized dialogue;
·
the inter-ethnic reconciliation, which can only be
achieved after fully equal rights for all Romanian citizens, the abolition of
social injustice and ethnic discrimination as well as the reparation of these
injustices, the unconditional recognition of the right of national minorities
to consider Romania their homeland, so that no one may classify them as second
rate citizens.
·
we undertake to seek legal remedy for the injuries
suffered by our community, namely the struggle for the judicial and moral
rehabilitation of the persons persecuted or forced into political exile after
the events of December 1989, as well as after the anti-Hungarian pogrom in
March 1990.
d. In
what concerns the cultivation of relations with the mother-nation and the
Hungarians around the world:
·
the securing the free circulation of citizens;
·
the further development of existing connections
between institutions, organizations and associations and the systematic
exchange of specialists;
·
the securing of the unlimited circulation beyond the
borders of informative materials.
5. In
compliance with the Electoral Law, the DAHR takes part with equal rights in the
Romanian political life. It nominates its own candidates at the parliamentary,
presidential and local elections. Its representatives form separate factions in
the two chambers of the Parliament. Pursuing the accomplishment of its
programme, based on the decisions of its competent bodies, the DAHR might join
a coalition with other parties to form the government. It might take part in
governing in conformity with the government programme. In opposition, it
participates in the activity of the Parliament according to its fundamental
principles. In conformity with its political strategy, the specific aims of the
The
DAHR plays an active role within the Parliament. Having in mind the interest of
the Hungarian national community, the DAHR strives for the fact that laws
adopted by the Parliament should serve the democratization of the entire
society and meets modern European principles and standards. These principles
guide the
It
considers the local administrations that accomplish local autonomy fundamental
elements of democratic renewal. It plays an active role in local
administrations, county councils and public services through its elected or
nominated officials.
The
It
fosters good relations with the independent Romanian media and searches the
possibilities of cooperation in order to provide accurate information about the
problems and goals of the Hungarian minority in
In
what concerns foreign relations, the DAHR attempts to establish good relations
and to collaborate with foreign parties whose political platforms and activity
do not conflict with its own basic principles. The aim of these relations is to
inform the respective parties of the problems of the Romanian society and of
the Hungarians of Romania, to make known their goals and gain moral or other
kind of support (such as informational exchange or the exchange of
specialists). In its relations with foreign parties, the DAHR maintains
complete independence and reserves the right to defend the interests of the
Hungarians of Romania. In conformity with its fundamental principles, the DAHR
can join different international democratic organizations and alliances in
order to contribute, in this way, to the assertion of Christian values on the
entire continent and the building of the nations'
ECONOMY
The
basic principles of the economic programme are:
I.
Concerning the society as a whole:
1.
the necessity of the establishment of a modern market
economy based on private property;
2.
the gradual decrease to minimum level of the role
played by the state in central and local economic life;
3.
the assuring of a social
stabilisation that takes into consideration the social sensitivity and
endurance;
4.
the development of an economic environment that
strongly favours private enterprises;
5.
the transformation of the economy according to the
European (international) integration trends.
II.
Concerning the society as a whole with respect to the Hungarian community:
1. the
settlement of the property relations, which involves the return of properties,
respectively damages, and/or compensation;
2. the
development of a decentralised budget policy, which factually supports minority
communities and local administrations;
3. the
assuring of the equality of chances based on the principle of competence for
our entrepreneurs regarding the participation in the reorganisation of the
economic life and in economic activities at local and national level;
4. the
undertaking of a determined local, national and international representation of
the interests of entrepreneurs;
5. the
elimination of negative discrimination for our employees;
6. the
development of economy and infrastructure of areas inhabited by Hungarians,
with special regard to the Szeklerland* ;
7. the
support of professional concerns important for our community.
III.
Concerning the Hungarian community:
1. the
organising of the economy based on the circulation of information in order to
promote the conciliation between the interests of the entrepreneurs and the
interests of the community;
2. the
supporting of the graduate and post graduate training of experts in economics;
the presentation of the elements of market economy in the media;
3. internal
transparency regarding the sources and the management of the pecuniary means of
the Alliance;
4. guarantees
the equitable distribution of foreign aids based on applications valued by
special professional boards, in conformity with its mandate.
ECONOMIC
POLICY
A.
Goals
Considering
the above, the goals of the DAHR are:
1. the
development of a modern market economy based on private property;
2. the
gradual cutback on the interference of the state into economic life at local
and central level;
3. the
realization of an economic stabilization process which takes into consideration
social sensibility and endurance;
4. the
creation of a proper economic climate which encourages the entrepreneurial
spirit;
5. the
restructuring of economy by making it compatible with European and
international trends;
6. the
settlement of property relations, which involve the return of properties,
respectively yhe payment of damages and/or compensation;
7. the
adoption of a decentralized budgetary policy which establishes the functioning
of local administrations;
8. the
granting of equality of chances, based on the principle of competence, to all
the participants in the restructuring and managing of the economic life;
9. the
development of infrastructure in areas inhabited by Hungarians, assuring of an
equitable share from the budget;
10. the
promotion of the development of the Szeklerland (eastern part of Transylvania);
11. the
assistance of graduate and postgraduate training of economic experts,
professional training in economics in Hungarian both at secondary and
university level;
12. the
support of national communities by sums from the budget allocated to their
legitimate representative organisations.
B.
Instruments of Economic Policy
I.Economic
Restructuring
1.
Conversion of Property Forms
1.1.
Privatization:
Privatisation
must be considered as an instrument, not as a goal. State enterprises must be
privatized completely or sold in parts at market price following their prior
restructuring.
The
objective of privatization is that the state should benefit of revenues not due
to its status of owner, but under the form of taxes (WAT).
It
is necessary:
·
the speedy privatization by the selling of profit
producing economic units; privatization after the liquidation of loss-maker
enterprises;
·
the rendering with assets of local public
administrations in the process of privatization;
·
the elaboration of a complex system of criteria to
select strategic investors; this will contain obligations for the buyers as to:
further investments, maintenance or creation of working places, technological
renewal, environmental preservation and liquidation of environmental damages,
supporting the export-centred industrial production.
1.2
Reprivatization
·
we support and promote total reprivatization, the
return in integrum of shops, workshops, mills, hotels, houses, social and
educational institutions, pharmacies, church-owned real estates and, in the
case of cultural and scientific societies, associations and foundations, the
total return of properties; if this is not possible, we urge complete
compensation;
·
return in integrum of the property of dissolved,
nationalized cooperative societies into the propriertorship of cooperative
societies.
2.
Economic Policy of Economic Sectors
2.1.
Industry
·
in order to ensure long-term planning, the competent
ministries need to finalize the strategies of development currently under
elaboration concerning all economic sectors by taking into account medium and
long-term priorities;
·
it is necessary to elaborate the Law of the Investor
that ensures advantages for both domestic and foreign investors;
·
bringing to a stop the production of loss-maker
enterprises which are great raw material and energy consumers; their
privatization after bankruptcy proceedings in order to facilitate the
restructuring of goods meant for domestic and foreign markets;
·
selling at market price of the assets of enterprises
which are to be found on the lists of mass privatization, but have a majority
state capital;
·
promote the vertical widening of the list of marketed
commodities even by bringing it under regulation;
·
transformation of state monopolies into commercial
enterprises; creating, at the same time, the conditions necessary for their
partial or full privatization;
·
integral restructuring of the energetic sector:
·
elimination of existing monopolistic positions,
creation of real competition in this field of industry;
·
promotion of foreign investments in the energetic
sector;
·
connection to the European pile-line for natural gas
in order to eliminate unilateral dependency;
·
modernisation of technologies in telecommunications,
of the manufactural technology used in road and railway construction by the
attraction of foreign capital for the realization of infrastructure developing
programmes, respectively by the deployment of modern apparatus offered by
leasing-societies;
·
support of those sectors which build their activity on
the existing natural resources, with special attention to the exploitation of
the agricultural production:
·
modernization of the manufacturing technology specific
for food industry;
·
revitalization of the agricultural machine
manufacturing with the help of an adequate system which is benefic for both the
producers and the potential customers;
·
insurance of access to development funds for ventures
which facilitate the introduction of technologies that protect the environment
and introduce high technology, as well as for those which utilize technical
innovations and inventions; support of activities of researches and
development; promotion of participation in international programmes;
·
we urge the establishment of joint commercial
enterprises between domestic and foreign solid capitals, the promotion of the
competitive spirit existing on the unitary European market;
·
establishment of industrial parks, the exploitation of
the advantages offered by them, grass root investments with the support of
local administrations.
2.2
Agricultural policy
The
goals of the DAHR's agricultural policy are to:
·
promote a socially ordered, self-supportive rural
society;
·
encourage the economic consolidation, the rise in
quality of life based on the realisation of quality production, processing and
high-level selling of products as well as the accumulation of capital;
·
promote the vertical widening of the list of marketed
commodities even by bringing it under regulation;
·
introduce specific regulations needed for the creation
of markets which are able to offer the entire range of goods;
·
create a properly stable and calculable system of
relations between incomes and expenditure;
·
promote the acquisition of a modern technical
equipment.
In
order to achieve the above it is necessary:
·
the creation of a differentiated organisational and
running structure by taking into consideration the geographical potentialities
(farming on a large scale in certain regions, small or family farms in others);
·
the privatization of state agricultural societies (it
is most desirable that it be achieved in a produce-processing-trading chain);
·
the stimulation of the associative agricultural
production based on initiative, according to the traditions of free association
in the production and selling of goods;
·
the safeguarding, the transparency and the
controllability (according to EU and WTO standards); rendering of financial
help for small-scale producers (for ex. for animal husbandry);
·
the annulment of the monopolistic position of the
state in purchase; organisation of a buying-up system with the assurance of a
proper purchase price; establishment of an Agricultural Exchange;
·
the establishment of producer councils, institutions
which would promote the specific interests of producers;
·
the establishment and operation of "machinery
circles" to administrate the agricultural machinery used in common;
·
the development of village tourism, branch which is
connected to the selling of agricultural goods and specific services.
We
support the Hungarian Farmer Association of Romania in their endeavour to
accomplish their agricultural and rural policy.
2.3
Sylviculture
The
primary goal of the DAHR concerning sylviculture is to settle the proprietory
rights over forests so that there be forests belonging to the state, local
administrations, joint tenants, institutions and private individuals.
Other
important objectives:
·
afforestation of deteriorated arable lands;
·
promotion of the production of high value timber and
protection of traditional sylviculture;
·
replacement of forestation in cutting area;
·
promotion of timber marketing, development of timber
industry.
2.4
Services
We
consider the development of services in the present economic situation as a
real alternative, compatible with the international trends.
In
order to stop the decline of and develop tourism, it is necessary to:
·
regulate tourism in accordance with the standards and
the practice of the WTO and EU;
·
create a development fund for tourism, elaborate
development plans in collaboration with local administrations, sum up and
exploit efficiently the situation of local touristic resources;
·
launch a promotional campaign for the growth of income
in foreign currency;
·
elaborate and initiate professional training and
vocational extension training in order to increase the level of services in
tourism;
·
promote rural, convalescence and youth tourism;
In
the field of telecommunications, transport and public utility services we urge:
·
the direction of important budgetary resources towards
investments in infrastructure, respectively the increase of the role of private
initiative and of the local administrations in the development of the
infrastructure. Therefore it is necessary:
·
the concession of building operations for motor
highways and their operation;
·
the elaboration of a reasoned traffic policy in
accordance with the Central and East European traffic policies;
·
the development of public utility companies by
involving private capital, too;
·
the elaboration of regional programmes for the
establishment of the drinking-water and sewage network of villages.
II.
Budgetary reform
Starting
from the present budgetary situation, we consider that by the restructuring of
the budget – of both the income and the expenditure sides –, of the concept on
the budget, as well as the system of budgetary institutions, the budget must
become an efficient instrument of an economic policy which facilitates lasting
development of Romania. One of the primary objectives is to maintain the
deficit within manageable limits, as well as its reduction at short and long
term. Another extremely important criterion is the financing of the budget deficit
by avoiding possible inflationary effects.
1.
Incomes
Tax
policy must facilitate economic growth, the creation of new working places, the
development of the entrepreneurial spirit, the improvement of trading by
creating a stable and a predictable system for all economic factors.
In
order to attain these objectives, it is necessary to restructure the budgetary
income defined by the tax policy. The measures to be taken at legislative and
executive level are:
·
the reform of the tax system, rendering it transparent
with proper regulations;
·
the increase of the contribution of juridical persons
within the total sum of the revenue, especially by the increase in the number
of taxpayers, on one hand, by the stimulation of the entrepreneurial spirit, on
the other hand, by the suppression of black market and tax evasions;
·
the introduction of the personal income tax (savings
will be excepted from taxes);
·
the reform of the structure of the taxes: increase of
the proportion of indirect taxes on consumption as opposed to that of indirect
taxes on income;
·
the cutback on profit taxes and the introduction of an
advantageous system of taxes for those productive enterprises which create new
places of work or apply new technical improvements;
·
the deregulation of customs tariffs and regulations in
accordance with the obligations comprised in international treaties signed and
ratified by Romania;
·
the reorganisation of the institutional system (tax
offices) authorized to collect and keep a record of the taxes and duties; its
modernisation and decentralization.
2.
Expenditure
In
order to elaborate a budget with a manageable deficit which is able to assure
economic development, it is necessary to:
·
restructure the budgetary system and adopt the budget
on the following year before the beginning of the new financial year;
·
reduce the financing of oversized and low proficiency
budgetary institutions and realize cheap state administration;
·
divide activities which need to be financed from those
which are lucrative;
·
decentralize the territorial organisations of central
institutions and their transfer into the competence of local administrations;
·
reduce the distributional function of the central
budget for the benefit of local administrations;
·
transform certain taxes (tax on personal income) into
local taxes;
·
introduce the normative taxation system and observe
its binding character;
·
increase the role of the state in public investment
(infrastructure, education and research;
·
reform the distribution systems (pensionable salary,
health insurance);
·
management of social insurance funds by the
implication of the interested social groups.
3.
Local finances
It
is necessary to pass the Law on Local Finances which would stipulate:
·
the increase of the importance of local budgets;
·
the transfer of financing of local investments into
the sphere of authority of local councils;
·
the obtaining of subsidy for public investments
through applications;
·
the establishment of the bank of local
administrations;
·
the possibility that the population and the private
entrepreneurs contribute to the financing of local investments and these sums
be written down from their tax.
·
increase of the role assumed by the state in public
investments based on a list of priorities, containing major public investments
elaborated for three years in advance.
III.
Monetary policy, the functioning of the banking system
·
the achievement of the internal and external stability
of the national currency and introduction of measures of economic policy to
ensure the calculability of its fluctuation;
·
the support and stimulation of promoted economic
branches by market economy measures;
·
the liquidation of financial blocking; bankruptcy
proceedings followed by privatization;
·
the introduction of efficient measures which create
the basis of efficient functioning;
·
the privatization of banks following their prior
consolidation;
·
the regulation of the Stock Market and of the
extra-Exchange Market, the elimination of the existing restrictions;
·
the regulation of the investment societies.
IV.
European integration, external economic relations
Priorities:
·
stimulation of foreign capital influx, preference for
strategic investments;
·
amelioration of external economic orientation
(increase of the export in developed countries);
·
seizure of the opportunity connected to the
asynchronous character of mutual concessions included in the association
agreement to the European Union;
·
improvement of Central and East European cooperation
relations (CEFTA), not as an alternative but a modality to prepare for the
European integration.
Manpower-management
Basic
principle: under the conditions of market economy, the administration of the
human resource must spring from the principles of market economy. One must also
take into consideration the requests of human development, both at the level of
the individual and the society.
1.
Offer of the labour market
The
necessities in this field are:
·
the reorganization of the vocational system according
to European model: the educational programmes, examinations, authorizations
must be transparent and understandable for the persons concerned;
·
the transformation of the training system sensible to
the demands of the market as a strategic goal; appr. 30% of the professional
training be achieved in state institutions; for the remaining percentage
tenders should be invited;
·
the fining of the employers and employees for
irregular employment; development and perfecting of institutions specialized in
the supervision of the observance of legal provisions; the establishment of the
Court of Labour for litigious cases;
·
the full observance of the right to work, together
with the regulation of the system of authorizations and qualitative criteria;
·
the creation of favourable conditions for obtaining a
place of work for young graduates; granting of assistance for the payment of
wages for those employers who hire young people;
·
the establishment of the condition necessary for the
international exchange of labour in bilateral and multilateral agreements
(system of authorizations, qualitative criteria, right to minimal wage,
insurance system);
·
the creation of a taxation system which would
stimulate the employers to train and retrain their staff or send their
employees to further education training courses;
·
the realization of an agreement between the demand of
the labour market and the number of graduates in different fields of activity.
2.
Demand of the labour market
·
special attention should be paid during the
elaboration of the economic development strategy to the quantity, quality and
territorial distribution of the available human resources;
·
the wage policy should reflect in income the
efficiency of the production;
·
legally compulsory measures should be taken for the
prevention of accidents.
3.
Governmental policy on wages
·
establishment of depoliticized minimal wages based on
measuring;
·
elaboration of an income tax system which stimulates
the creation of new working places;
·
evolution of real wages depending on the proficiency
of national economy.
4.
Institutions of the labour market
It
is necessary to:
·
establish the institutions of social dialogue which
create the possibility of dialogue and negotiation in social and economic
questions (employees, employers, government); base decision-making on economic
rationality;
·
set up labour-market institutions specialized in
labour exchange, information and counselling; beside public institutions,
private firms should also be present on the market;
·
diminish the risk of losing one's working place; an
institution should be set up in order to administer efficiently the
contributive fund created for this purpose;
·
set up a public retraining network, creating the
possibility of re-education or further education.
EDUCATION
– SCIENCE
I.
The prerequisite for the preservation of the national
identity of the Hungarian community in Romania and for the training of
competitive specialists is the autonomy and modernisation of the educational
system. Our goal is to establish the institutional framework and fulfil the
professional requirements of a scientific research, which would be a worthy
continuation of our rich traditions, as well as the coordination of training
and research in higher education.
II.
Our educational policy deals with
three major fields: the political and civil defence of interests, as well as
the coordination of the professional activity developing under the
circumstances of the social reform. According to this:
a. We
insist on the general autonomy of educational institutions. Our main objective
is: the establishment of the autonomous Hungarian educational system, from the
kindergarten to the native language university and the network of colleges
covering all areas of professional training. We claim the reestablishment of
the Cluj-centered independent Hungarian university as the key-element of this
network.
b. We
seek legal remedy for the injuries that affect native language education and
its institutional framework. The acceptance and fulfilling of our demands
concerning the educational system represent the touchstone of our cooperation
with other political parties in Romania.
c. In
accordance with the self-government model described within this programme, we
encourage and coordinate all courageous initiatives of high professional level
aimed at creating new institutions, enlarging the existent framework and
changing the mentality of educators and teachers.
1. On
national level (parliament, government and Ministry of Education), we
consequently assert our endeavour for the ensuring of the complete native
language educational network. This aim was listed in the educational programme
drafted together with civil organisations dealing with educational matters and
adopted by the Council of DAHR Representatives on the 26th of
February 1995.
2. We
insist on the operation of four kind of educational institutions: the ones
owned and operated by the state, by local administrations, as well as
denominational and private ones, because we consider them equally important.
Providing the pecuniary means necessary to operate native language educational
institutions owned by the state should be the task of the state. As Romanian
citizens and taxpayers, we firmly demand that the state subsidize Hungarian
language institution(s) of higher education. Churches, foundations and private
persons should also be allowed to establish educational institutions. We regard
as equitable and we claim that the state take part in the financial supporting
of these institutions, too.
3. We
demand that in all our educational institutions all subject should be taught in
Hungarian language, except for Romanian language and literature. We argue firmly
that in order to get acquainted with the Romanian language and culture, special
programmes and textbooks should be elaborated for Hungarian children.
4. The
Ministry of Education and the district educational inspectorates should base
their decisions on the number of pupils and forms concerning native language
education (in primary, middle and secondary schools, vocational schools, higher
education) on the real needs. We claim for the possibility of taking the
admission examination in native language to each level of education and to
doctoral studies also. We ask for the enlargement of the scope of native
language doctoral training.
5. In
accordance with the above listed claims, we wish to see the conditions of
modern professional training in public and higher education ensured.
6. We
press for the elaboration of the diploma recognition convention and other
educational conventions between Romania and Hungary. Until this is
accomplished, we urge for the official acknowledgement of training and degrees
obtained abroad.
III.
In case of abuses (discrimination,
infringements of the law, local autocracy, etc.) that affect the framework of
native language education, irrespective of the level on which these have been
committed, we make use of the possible forms of civil defence of interests.
1. We
wish to increase the importance of the voice of local societies, local
administrations, parents, pupils and joint bodies made up of teachers, parents
and pupils as well as the control these can exercise over the affairs of
school. We provide assistance and political background for parents if they
initiate joint actions in order to defend the rights of their children or to
enlarge the frames and the level of education. We lay stress on the interests
of children learning in diaspora regions. Chango-Hungarian children, who do not
have the possibility to attend Hungarian language schools in Moldavia should
have the possibility of learning in Transylvanian schools. We elaborate
programmes together with the Moldavian Chango-Hungarian Association for the
education of the Chango-Hungarian children in Hungarian language; we support
those institutions which achieve this goal.
2. We
support the Alliance of Hungarian Teachers in Romania in their activity of
defending and asserting the interests of pupils and schools. We make use of our
means of defence of interests if administrative hindrances, or autocratic
measures of school principals and educational inspectors prevent recently
graduated teachers from earning their existence.
3. We
think that local administrations and entrepreneurs can both play an important
role in the financial supporting of educational institutions and the related
system of conditions. We insist that in localities with mixed population or
with a Hungarian majority the local authorities and the entrepreneurs create
the conditions for the settling of the young intelligentsia in the respective
locality, with special attention to providing the living conditions for those
young graduates who wish to return home from abroad.
4. In
order to preserve our identity, to impart a new impulse to our economic, social
and cultural life it is essential to keep the intelligentsia in our homeland.
This is why we defend the interests of those young people who study in the
country. We found scholarships to be able to support them making use of our own
means. We also urge for local social efforts and similar programmes initiated
by the local administrations.
IV.
A fundamental condition of our activity regarding educational policy is to
recognize the autonomy of social organisations, associations dealing with
problems of specific areas of instruction. Regarding every level of this policy
we consider the continuous conciliation among the Alliance of Hungarian
Teachers in Romania, the Bolyai Society, the Hungarian Scientific and Technical
Society of Transylvania, the “Erdélyi Múzeum” Association, the Hungarian
Economists’ Society of Romania, the Alliance of Hungarian Student Unions, the
Alliance of Hungarian Pupils, the “Domokos Pál Péter” Foundation, the Moldavian
Chango-Hungarian Association and other bodies very important.
1. According
to the Directives concerning education issued by the DAHR we regard as
important the continuous raising of the professional standard and quality on
each level of education. According to this we wish to help establishing the
harmony and proper division of labour among different associations in order to
enable them to find the common denominator in what concerns the system of
requirements in education.
2. A
central element of our strategy is the creation of the professional basis of
Hungarian language higher education. Until the reestablishment of the Bolyai
University we aim to support all the initiatives connected to Hungarian
language higher education, the creation of Hungarian language sections and
their circumspect development including the training of the teaching staff as
well as the conscious planning of graduate and Ph.D. training.
3. In
concordance with the endeavour of all professional institutions dealing with
the coordination and management of research programmes, we urge for publishing
the research results, papers, volumes of studies and monographs in Hungarian
language. We regard as indispensable to provide the proper infrastructure, as
well as foreign books and reviews. We consider very important the training of
students in order to be researchers and the supporting of young researchers in
respect of scholarships and publishing possibilities in all scientific
branches.
4. We
endeavour to establish autonomous Hungarian research institution(s) and, until
then, we urge for initiating and supporting well founded research programmes.
We support and urge researches on minorities, diaspora and the phenomenon of
assimilation.
5. We
think that the whole educational system must be reformed. A new, scientifically
founded educational mentality, which observes modern requirements and is aimed
at fully developing the personality of the child or youngster, has to be
introduced. With this purpose, we support the introduction of alternate teaching
materials and training forms at all levels of education.
6. In
this respect, we consider suitable the establishment of autonomous Hungarian
publishing houses, dealing with the publication of textbooks.
CULTURE
Since
culture is the fundamental layer of our identity, the main objective of our
cultural policy is the preservation of the capacity of the Hungarian community
to create cultural values and the further development of this capacity within
institutional frames. Another important objective is the exchange of cultural
values among different ethnic groups and the perfection of inter-ethnic
partnership relations. Our cultural life is guaranteed by the cultural
autonomy.
The
norms of cultural autonomy are based on the principle of local administration
proposed in the Copenhagen Document. This requires, on the one hand, according
to the stipulations of the cultural convention drafted after World War I, the
allocation of a fair share from the state, local and regional budgets for supporting
the cultural movements of national communities. On the other hand, the organs
of local administrations, where the numeric minorities are represented
according to their proportion, should take upon themselves a part of the
competences of state organs in what concerns education and culture.
This
is why, in regions with mixed population, the employment at state and regional
cultural institutions of persons belonging to national minorities must be
ensured. In this manner any attempt to exclusivism can be avoided. The
territorial committees of the Ministry of Culture should employ minority
inspectors, the cultural houses should employ managers and professional
leaders, the libraries Hungarian specialists, the cultural institutions
Hungarian researchers and specialised staff according to ethnic proportion. We
follow with special interest the communities threatened by assimilation. We
support the cultural aspirations of the diaspora: the distribution of
publications and books, the functioning of cultural institutions and amateur
artistic groups.
In
order to create the material basis of the cultural life that guarantees
cultural autonomy, the Alliance expects that the government allocates funds
from the budget to the Hungarian community, in a proportional manner; it
encourages donations and supports the establishment of cultural societies,
associations and foundations.
We
encourage and foster our relations with the universal Hungarian cultural life –
including Hungarian institutions abroad and those of the Hungarian national
minorities, the continuous, reciprocal exchange of cultural values.
In
the spirit of cultural autonomy, we nurture the specific traditions of all
cultural branches that guarantee our identity and wish to take care of their
high level cultivation. We are anxious to build up the institutional system
necessary for this purpose.
We
support the Hungarian Cultural Association of Transylvania, which coordinates
our cultural life and performs the duties connected to the defence of interests
as well.
The
DAHR urges for the elaboration of the Cultural Statutes of National Minorities,
which would provide a state guarantee for exercising cultural autonomy,
including the endowment of national minorities’ cultural institutions by the
state.
Consequently
we fight for the preservation of our native language institutions and also
reserve the right to found new ones. We advocate for gaining the possibility to
cultivate our culture within state institutions, in areas with mixed
population. The state should guarantee:
·
the preservation, enrichment and exhibition of
minority collections in (historical, ethnographical and fine arts) museums in
the spirit of historical truth, with bilingual or trilingual inscriptions;
·
the enrichment and use of the Hungarian stocks in public
libraries; in order to ensure proper operation, employment and training of
professional personnel having a good command of the languages of minorities;
·
the ensuring of unlimited access for our researchers
and for interested persons to the materials kept in Romanian archives and the
restitution of Hungarian language registers of births, marriages and deaths,
parochial minutes to their rightful owners;
·
the use of cultural houses for the cultural activities
of national minorities under equal terms;
·
proportional share from state funds allocated for the
definition, registration, preservation of monuments in order to take care of
and restore the monuments connected to the past of the Hungarian minority in
Romania;
·
the considering of the opinion of minority experts,
namely the “Kelemen Lajos” Society for the Protection of Historical Monuments
decision making concerning our monuments.
The
Cultural Statutes of National Minorities should stipulate that in each central
board of supervision belonging to the network of the Ministry of Culture a
representative of the Hungarian minority should also assume a role. This
official would be in charge of supervising the implementation of the principles
of cultural autonomy, especially in areas strongly manipulated in the past,
such as the functioning of the library system and book and newspaper
distribution.
In
order to overcome the catastrophic lack of specialists in our cultural life,
popular education has to be introduced in our system of higher education in
order to train professional leaders. The DAHR takes a stand for the
reorganising and enlargement of the native language training of musicians, fine
artists, actors and directors.
We
regard as necessary the reestablishment and original use of the Hungarian names
for our towns and villages, memorial and devotional sites. The names of streets
should reflect the historical past of the settlements.
On
our commemorations and social events, we wish to use our national symbols
freely, together with the ones of the Romanian state.
The
DAHR urges for ensuring the conditions for the operation of vigorous Hungarian
publishing houses. We wish to take part in joint publishing and book exchange
actions stipulated in bilateral treaties, considering that everyone is entitled
to access to books and publications that correspond to his/her own preferences
regarding taste and values as well as to his professional needs. In order to
promote the publishing of books in native language, the DAHR wishes to make use
of its own funds with the purpose of establishing its network of book
distribution and publishing houses.
The
DAHR rejects any kind of political or ideological censorship. It supports
endeavours that fight against the attempts to reduce democratic public opinion
to silence. It contributes to the creation of the modern material and technical
basis of the Hungarian press network in Romania, paying special attention to
the training of typographer specialists. The DAHR does its best to found its
own Hungarian and Romanian language press organs. It takes special care to
inform the foreign press about the situation of the Hungarian minority and the
activity of the Alliance. It edits and distributes foreign language informative
publications.
The
DAHR promotes the activity of special committees, and national artistic unions,
the free creation of values of our professional artists, urging their
recognition and subsidization by the state.
The
DAHR insists on the establishment and maintenance of the Hungarian State Museum
in Romania and of the Institution for Hungarian Studies in Romania for the
comprehensive and specialized research of our national existence and for its
professional presentation.
PRESS,
MASS MEDIA
The
press is one of the basic factors in maintaining our national identity, as it
pertains to the public use of the native language. Beyond the information of
the public opinion, our minority mass media has an important role in promoting
our national values, as well as of certain regional and general European
values. The DAHR supports the Hungarian mass media in filling its part to the
full.
In
the spirit of the European Charter on Human Rights, the Constitution of
Romania, the Charter on Regional or Minority Languages, the declaration and the
Manifesto of the International Journalist Association, the International
Agreement on television stations that broadcast beyond the borders, as well as
in the spirit of other pertaining legal measures and documents, the DAHR militates
categorically for the freedom of speech and press, declaring that all
democracies are based on the openness of state institutions and the free access
to information.
Based
on the principle of the free flow of information, the DAHR stresses and safeguards
the basic right of the Hungarian community in Romania to free and independent
press, radio and television broadcasting. Therefore, it intervenes each time
when an attempt is made to limit this right, as far as its content, technical
support or distribution is concerned.
At
the same time, the DAHR tries to establish relation and maintain dialogue with
the legitimate organizations and editorial staffs so that the mass media be
able to fulfil its role in forming the community, in controlling the mechanism
for the regulation of tensions, as well as in forming the image on reality.
In
conformity with the basic principles enumerated above, the DAHR:
·
nurses relations with the Hungarian Journalist
Association in Romania and the Newspaper Publishing Association for mutual
information and exchange of ideas, having respect for their political
non-commitment stipulated in their Statutes;
·
supports the journalists by all applicable means to
sustain their work. Urges journalism based on investigation, contributes to the
objective presentation of the DAHR’s aims. It accepts the dialogue with the
press on the most important questions concerning our national community and the
Romanian society.
·
aims at establsihing good relations with the Romanian
press and requests that it informs objectively. It bestows special attention to
false information or biased comments published on the Hungarian community in
Romania and its representative organization in the local or international
press; therefore it publishes the rectifications immediately with the required
efficiency.
·
coordinates its expectations with the representatives
of the Hungarian mass media in Romania in case nominations are made for the
leading boards of national mass media institutions.
·
ensures that the Hungarian mass media also benefits of
state subsidies at least in conformity with the ratio of the Hungarian national
community;
·
fights consistently for attaining a proportional
duration of the Hungarian language programmes of local and central radio and
television stations with the ratio of the Hungarian inhabitants of Romania and
for a more advantageous timing of public radio and television programmes in
Hungarian language;
·
has in view an all-day Hungarian language community
radio and television programme. In long run, it aims at the establishment of
independent Hungarian language community radio and television broadcasting
studios.
·
supports the participation of Hungarian editors form
Romania in the regional programmes of public media broadcasting from satellite.
·
demands the introduction of subscription to and
distribution of foreign (especially Hungarian) publications, books, tape
records; it urges the general postal reduction in fares for the expedition of
the press by post.
CHURCHES
1. Since
our historical churches, besides their natural role, are authentic social
organisations preserving the centuries old traditions and the language of the
Hungarian minority in Romania, the DAHR wishes to develop and maintain tight
connections with them. It considers permanent cooperation important in the
elaboration of common strategies, draft bills and programmes for the
development of the civil society. The Alliance is equally open towards every
church and denomination and respects the freedom of conscience of its members making
no distinction whether they belong or not to a denomination. At the same time,
it takes a stand for the full accomplishment of religious freedom and the
liberty of conscience, for the observance of the autonomy of churches.
2. The
DAHR urges the reconstruction of the right to property on nationalized movable
and immovable church properties, the reestablishment of the denominational
institutions that have been abolished, the ensuring of the conditions of their
operation as well as for state support for the functioning of monastic orders.
3. Our
Alliance, making use of its own means, supports the establishment and
participation of new (social, educational, cultural, economic and cooperative)
denominational institutions in the cultural life of the country. The DAHR
fights for the introduction and authorization of denominational education at
all levels from kindergarten to university, at vertical level, and from
humanistic to science subjects, at horizontal level.
4. The
DAHR supports the written request of the Chango-Hungarians to benefit of
Hungarian language religious instruction and pastoral service on the territory
of the Roman Catholic Church District of Iaši.
5. The
DAHR urges the legal settlement of the following religious issues:
·
the abrogation of the law on churches promulgated in
1948;
·
the submitting of the Bill on Worship to the
Parliament;
·
the equality of religious denominations;
·
state subsidies for the churches recognized by the
state;
·
state salaries for persons employed by the churches;
·
the exempt from taxation for the non profit activity
of the churches;
·
the enabling pastoral service within hospitals,
prisons and the armed forces according to denominations;
·
the declaration of church festival as public holidays;
·
the restoration of the ecclesiastical monuments
according to their historical and architectural value supported from the state
budget.
YOUTH
1. The
DAHR considers the Hungarian youth of Romania a special social category, which
is able to shape its own fortune. It recognizes the autonomous and independent
youth organisations as well as the youth groups formed under the auspices of
different educational, cultural and religious institutions as legitimate
representatives of the Hungarian youth of Transylvania. The general
representative and conciliation body of these organisations is the Hungarian
Youth Council of Romania (HYCR). The Federation of Hungarian Youth
Organisations, the Alliance of Hungarian Student Unions and the Alliance of
Hungarian Pupils are member organisations of the HYCR and partner organisations
of the DAHR.
2. The
DAHR undertakes and insists on the joint actions with organisations of the
youth. However, it recognizes the rightfulness of the desire that the youth should
try to accomplish its goals applying its own means and following its own path.
3. The
federations of the Hungarian youth of Romania are partners both in the activity
of the DAHR and in decision making. Therefore, according to their social
importance, the youth organisations are represented within the leading bodies
of the DAHR.
4. The
DAHR relegates the faculties and subsidies granted for the youth under the
authority of the HYCR. The member organisations of the HYCR are entitled to
obtain these subsidies and financial aids. The prevailing criterion in
redistributing these funds is the principle of territorial representation.
5. The
DAHR’s cooperation with the federations of the Hungarian youth of Romania is a
cooperation among self-governing organisations, based on reciprocal respect,
and is aimed at solving the occurring problems. At the same time, similar
relations should be established at local level between the territorial
organisations of the DAHR and the youth organisations.
6. The
DAHR stimulates its member organisations and associations to draw the youth
organisations into their work. In the meantime, it urges for and supports the
creation of youth organisations with different character, helps them in their
activity in order to diversify the organisational life of the youth.
Consequently, the DAHR, as the organisation dealing with the defence of
interests of the Hungarian community, supports the endeavour of the students
towards their self-determination within the frames of the respective
educational institutions (e.g. pupils’ councils, pupils’ federations). It also
supports the legal regulation of the rightfulness of such initiatives. The DAHR
proposes that the new draft budget of the state should include a special item
on the funds allocated for the supporting of the operation and development of
youth organisations.
7. The
fundamental objective of the youth policy of the DAHR is to create the
condition that would allow – through their representative organisations – the
youth to take part according to its social importance, in the social,
political, economic and cultural life of the country.
8. From
the point of view of long range thinking, it is important for the DAHR to
create a cultural arena, which comprises all categories and generations of the
youth, to establish youth institutions and offices that function besodes local
and territorial institutions which support them. These organisations and
institutions are meant to support the youth making use of funds allocated from
the local budget.
9. The
prerequisite of the social integration of the youth and of its development into
an important social factor are: the ensuring of a multilateral, flexible and
modern training; the special subsidies and social aids granted for young
people, who continue their studies, establish a family and/or are at the
beginning of their professional carrier. Another prerequisite is the creation
and support of an organisational framework, which coordinates individual
initiatives. At the same time, integration cannot be imagined without creating
the conditions for native language education, as well as the development of a
modern identity and cultural expression. Therefore we accept and support all
those organisations which work for the above enumerated goals.
LOCAL
ADMINISTRATIONS
Fundamental
principles:
1. According
to the standpoint of the DAHR, the widest possible autonomy and the maximal
decentralisation of power should stand at the basis of the life of local
administrations.
2. The
activity of local administrations should be regulated and conducted according
to the stipulations of the European Charter on Local Governments.
3. According
to the principle of subsidiarity, the right of local communities and citizens
to take part in the decision-making that would affect their lives, has to be
ensured.
4. Maintaining
close connections with the population and the complete transparency should be
basic features of the activity of local administrations.
5. The
Alliance supports the active participation of the youth organisations in local
elections and their nomination on the lists of the DAHR.
6. The
officials, who have been elected to local administrations on the lists of the
DAHR should accomplish their activity in the spirit of the Programme, the
Statutes and the relevant official documents of the Alliance.
7. The
officials who work in local administrations and in territorial organisations of
the DAHR should cooperate tightly in order to fulfil the programme of the DAHR.
8. According
to the sphere of action assumed by the DAHR as an organisation dealing with
defence of interests in the activity of local administrations, the interests of
the settlement and the community must be coordinated with tasks connected to
the defence of the interests of the minority.
9. The
local administrations have to develop good relationships with the churches and
cooperate with these in areas of common interest.
10. The
Alliance bases the elaboration of its overall programme and the plan of action
concerning local administrations. On the draft programmes elaborated in
cooperation with the territorial organisations, parties, platforms and local
government officials.
Fundamental
objectives:
1.
The amendment of those laws and regulations, which are
inconsistent with the principle of the autonomy of local administrations or
comprise discriminatory provisions in respect of national minorities. This
regards first of all Law no. 69/1991 (on Local Administrations). Nevertheless,
we wish to amend Law no. 18/1990 (on Landed Properties) and several provisions
concerning language usage, education, health-care, etc. The amendments are
formulated in the spirit of the European Charter on Local Governments,
Recommendation No. 1201 and other relevant international documents. An
important task of our activity in Parliament is to initiate or to press for the
adoption of legislation necessary for the effective work of local
administrations.
2.
Our Alliance intends to elaborate a framework
programme, which would allow and serve as a model for elaborating local plans
of action dealing with urban development, minority protection, privatisation,
sylviculture, compensation, environmental protection, etc.
3.
The Alliance urges for and supports the elaboration of
concrete plans regarding minority protection that differentiate between the
specific problems of ethnic Hungarian groups living under various
circumstances. In order to achieve this, we support the programmes that could
serve as a model for the activity concerning minority interests the for the
local administrations in regions where the Hungarians are the local majority. Specific
programmes have to deal with the problems of the Hungarian communities who live
in regions with mixed populations or make up only a small part of the
population.
4.
The Alliance, together with the Council of DAHR Mayors
and Councillors, elaborate a programme on preparation of the local elections,
with the professional training and selection of future officials.
5.
The Executive Presidium organises professional
consultative programmes and other events together with the local
administrations.
6.
The Executive Presidium surveys the system of partner
settlements and elaborates proposals for useful forms of cooperation and, at
request, manages the existing relationships, tries to establish new contacts
and develop new forms of cooperation.
7.
The Alliance supports the association of local
administrations and the effective forms of regional and international
cooperation.
8.
Within the frames of the planned administrative
reform, the Alliance urges for:
o
the reorganising of the communes
o
the reduction of the sphere of authority of
prefectures so that the regions be able to take gradually charge of – beside
the development of economy and infrastructure, and environmental protection
–the majority of the administrative functions at the level of settlements.
Special attention must be directed to the establishment of small areas and the
consolidation of regions.
SOCIAL
POLICY AND HEALTH CARE
1. The
fundamental objective of our social policy is the achievement of existential
security, the ensuring of the minimum of subsistence and the prevention of
general pauperization. We urge for the introduction of economic and social
measures in order to ease the burdens carried by persons with low incomes.
2. We
struggle for the development of political and economic circumstances in which
the employee obtains a decent wage and the intellectual work is also fully
acknowledged. We urge that the defence of interests both of the producers and
the consumers be undertaken. We encourage small and medium size businesses,
which create new jobs, as well as the creation/insurance of those economic and
juridical conditions that stimulate and help their establishment. Under the
circumstances of growing unemployment, we wish to initiate professional
courses, besides the possibilities provided by the government to teach trade to
people trained for other work. We consider our permanent duty to improve the
system of unemployment relief, with special attention to people, who are at the
beginning of their career and cannot find a job.
3. The
DAHR wishes to pursue a consistent policy concerning family and demographics,
especially because of the fact that our ethnic proportion is continuously
decreasing due to the scale emigration. We have to pursue informative work in
order to encourage people to have and raise children, as well as against the
phenomenon of raising a single child, even under the continuously worsening
economic circumstances. In this respect we wish to cooperate with the churches,
educational, health care and juridical institutions. We support any conception
that ensures advantages for families with children (preferential system of
taxes; advantageous, preferential, long-term loans; a fair system of benefits
for families with children).
A
priority of our social policy is the improvement of the living conditions of
the youth, large families and retired persons.
4. Our
basic principle concerning housing is that every person has the right to
minimal living conditions and to a separate house or flat — if possible his own
property. We consider indispensable the reprivatization of nationalised
immovable prope rties (houses and flats). Some categories of pulation,
especially the youth, have to face severe housing problems. We hold for a
priority of social policy the improvement of housing conditions. We believe
that ensuring advantageous loan conditions for young people, who are at the
beginning of their carrier in order to allow them to build houses, is an urgent
matter.
5. We
consider necessary to reorganize our system of social insurance. The social
insurance should not be a state monopoly. Special care has to be taken of
retired persons: the lowest pension has to be kept above the level of
subsistence; everybody should be entitled to a basic pension that has to be
supplemented by a pension proportional to the persons former accomplishments.
The preservation of the real value of pensions must be ensured.
We
pledge ourselves to solve the problems of old people, beyond the mere
improvement of their living conditions. We have to defend our elderly against
pauperization, solitude and the lack of perspectives. We urge for initiatives
aimed at aiding the needing ones. These initiatives can be state,
denominational and private. We regard the development of a social protection
network as necessary in order to help the needy, who live under the level of
subsistence, lonely old people and the disadvantaged persons. To be able to
achieve this, comfortable homes for the elderly and special schools for
training social nurses have to be established. Urban transit should be free for
citizens above 70 years of age. The needy should obtain free social care and
medicine.
6. The
DAHR lays stress on the problems of handicapped persons. A regulation is needed
that would create the equality of chances for handicapped persons; an
educational programme could present the problems of these persons and
contribute to the emergence of proper solidarity among citizens.
7. The
DAHR urges for modernisation of the national health care system, including the
development of health care for minorities. We wish to put into practice the
right of the patient to choose his physician freely. The Alliance wishes to
draw the attention of the society of physicians that, during the following hard
years, it will have to fulfil the moral duty of serving the people. It urges
for all creative endeavour aimed at preventing the emigration of physicians,
especially of the young ones. We insist on the reform of the system of social
insurance. We do not perceive social insurance as state monopoly, therefore we
support the establishment of civil organisations dealing with reciprocal aid
among citizens.
8. In
order to improve the health care system, the DAHR supports the creation of
groups of patients, who reciprocally help each others, and the functioning of
medical groups dealing with their care. It holds for appropriate the
establishment of a diagnosis and cure network that corresponds both to the
territorial distribution of the minority population and to the requirements of
the era. We count on the contribution of the churches and of charitable
institutions. We still insist on the reestablishment of hospitals formerly
owned by the churches.
9. In
the opinion of the DAHR, the severe insufficiencies of our health care system
cannot be eliminated without the creation of an effective voluntary network,
which should function under the auspices of the medical staff and of the
churches. This network should tackle the following tasks: taking care of lonely
patients, the pastoral care of patients, the clarification of the questions of
modern family planning, as well as combatting of nicotinism, alcoholism and
drug use.
10. Prepares
the evidences necessary for the functioning of charitable institutions.
REGIONAL
INTERESTS OF THE DAHR
The
regional policy of the DAHR aims at:
1.
the establishment of a policy for the development of
economy and institutions which would take into consideration the specific
patrimony of local Transylvanian societies, the demands of the national
communities living there, as well as their traditions concerning the
establishment and administration of institutions;
2.
the elaboration of a specific and active policy for
the development of localities at all the levels of administration which would
agree with both the principles of the regional and cohesive policy of the
European Union and the historical characteristics of the Transylvanian network
of localities;
3.
the preparing Transylvania for the development which
is guided, beside the characteristics and necessities springing from the
broadening of the Union, by the use of community funds provided by frontier and
transfrontier programmes and European institutions, too;
4.
the realization of a modern infrastructure which lays
stress on highways connecting the cities of Transylvania via Hungary with the
regions of the Union; therefore, the construction of the Budapest-Bucharest
motorway which connects Oradea with Cluj and Brašov and crosses the Szeklerland
is of major importance;
5.
the establishment of Transylvanian alliances of local
administrations with powerful capacity in the representation of interests to:
o
intervene efficiently in the interests of a continued
decentralization process;
o
represent the specific interests of Transylvanian
micro-regions;
o
elaborate and implement independent regional and/or
departmental development strategies;
o
bring the local communities into the globalization
processes so that they contribute to the assumption of the role of Transylvania
– as a specific historical region of Central-Europe – played in the integration
of Romania into Europe.
In
the representation of the regional interests of Transylvania, we consider the
Romanians and the other national communities of Transylvania as strategic
partners.
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
1. The
Alliance expresses our fundamental interest towards the preservation of the
natural unity and balance of our ecological system as well as towards its
restoration based on strategic priorities. We support the creation of other
protected areas, the insurance of the nonpolluting development of the
artificial medium (localities) by the elaboration of draft bills and
alternatives for town-planning.
2. The
DAHR supports environmental protection measures that are in concordance with
relevant international standards and conventions. For this purpose, it insists
on the cooperation of the countries interested in the preservation of the
ecological balance of the Carpathian Basin. It also urges for the signing and
observation of relevant inter-state conventions and the elaboration of new ones.
3. We
support the establishment of a National Environmental Protection Authority
subordinated to Parliament. This authority should effectively supervise the
norms of environmental protection and control the quality of our environment
with the help of territorial Environmental Protection Inspector's Offices. In
what concerns the natural reservations and national parks, we propose the
creation of boards of directors, subordinated to the National Environmental
Protection Authority. These boards would deal with the administrative,
scientific and touristic problems of reservations and parks. We do not agree
with the practice of making from the environment protection tasks a competence
of an office in a ministry. Such a measure would allow any government to subordinate
the policy of this office to his own economic conceptions. The pondering and
assertion of environmental protection criteria should precede decisions
concerning economy.
4. We
consider necessary the elaboration of a new law on environmental protection, which
would correspond to European standards. This law should mirror the connections
and dynamic balance between living and lifeless systems. We have to regard the
atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere and their living microcosm as a
unitary whole. The biological balance between man and environment has to be
restored according to this principle; the production has to be made environment
friendly; the artificial urban environment has to be humanised.
The
law should stipulate:
a.
the carrying out of studies concerning environment
protection prior to approving any industrial or agricultural establishment, or
operating, potentially pollutant industrial, agricultural and urban service
enterprise, in order to avoid the damaging of the ecological system;
b.
research aimed at developing environment-friendly
technologies that produce less waste, the elaboration and application of these
technologies; re-examination of pollutant industrial enterprises;
c.
the rational use of mineral and, generally, of natural
riches;
d.
the applying of natural methods in the cultivation of
plants and of lengthy methods in sylviculture;
e.
the elaboration of plans for the protection of
landscapes, which could provide an effective protection for our historical and
artificial environment; this could ensure the preservation of our villages,
communes, historical parts of towns, castles, churches, old economic buildings
and industrial monuments, sentenced to destruction in the near past;
f.
the establishment of new national parks, reservations,
areas of landscape protection; the mapping of endangered species and their
protection;
g.
the elaboration of norms concerning poisonous
substances, defence against noise and radiations, as well as their observation
in each area of production;
h.
the severe punishment against those who infringe the
regulations concerning environment protection;
i.
the processing of industrial and household waste in
order to stop irresponsible waste depositing;
j.
the elaboration of country-planning programmes which
ensure an efficient protection for our artificial and historic medium; by
reducing the damages in the environment, they would protect our historical
monuments starting from the churches and ending with the economic buildings of
our historical villages, communes and cities;
k.
the elaboration of programmes which facilitate and
urge to the observance of environmental provisions; the enforcement of heavy
fines;
We
accept and support all the civil organisations which assume responsibility in
the above mentioned issues.
5. The
development of an active form of behaviour in what concerns environment
protection is conditioned by the extension of the ecology education to each
educational level, from kindergarten to university. In this respect, the DAHR
uses both institutional resources and opportunities offered by the mass media.
We
urge the introduction of ecology as a subject in schools, as well as the
environmental education and instruction; we support the activity of
self-organizing ecologist groups. In order to render ecological education
efficient, proper specialist training must be ensured. The help of domestic and
international foundations must be used in this purpose. The acquisition of
thorough knowledge must be made possible under the form of foreign extension
courses as well.
EUROPEAN
INTEGRATION
The
EU integration strategy elaborated in conformity with the criteria adopted by
the Council of Europe at its 1993 meeting in Copenhagen and the “Agenda 2000”
(government programme), must evaluate the economic and political situation of Romania
and finalize the schedule for the integration talks.
A
clear strategy must be elaborated so that Romania be adequately prepared for
integration and to catch up with her delay. Therefore we urge:
1. the
elaboration of a coherent strategy which takes into consideration the opinion
of the commission of the European Union. The strategy must indicate the
priorities of the forthcoming period;
2. the
elaboration and passing of a package of bills on the bases of European norms;
3. the
implication of the civil society in the integration process;
4. the
creation of a separate chapter in the budget for European Integration, divided
among ministries; elaboration of rigorous conceptions on the efficient use of
these funds;
5. the
elaboration of a special regional strategy;
6. the
promotion of a more determined policy in trans-frontier cooperation between
border regions;
7. the
launching of subregional programmes in conformity with the bilateral treaties
signed with neighbouring countries; these can contribute to the economic
development of border regions.
The
DAHR considers important that the European Union annul the compulsory visa
system for Romanian citizens. This system is disadvantageous for Romania as
compared to other associate states.
INSTITUTIONAL
RELATIONS
The
DAHR performs the defence of interests and the public representation of the
Hungarian community in Romania together with different autonomous territorial,
political, social, professional organisations (Hungarian Economists’ Society of
Romania, Hungarian Farmer Association of Romania, Hungarian Cultural
Association of Transylvania, Erdélyi Múzeum Association, Hungarian Scientific
and Technical Society of Transylvania, Alliance of Hungarian Teachers in
Romania, Alliance of Hungarian Labourers in Romania, Union of Hungarian High
School Students in Romania, Alliance of Hungarian Student Unions, Moldavian
Chango-Hungarian Association, Bolyai Society, etc.) and supports their
activity.
The
DAHR supports the cooperation of its member organisations with similar Romanian
and foreign organisations.
The
DAHR is determined to cooperate tightly with organisations of other ethnic
minorities living in Romania and initiates the taking of a common stand
regarding certain matters.
The
DAHR does not commit itself unconditionally, to any political organisation. The
relationship between the DAHR and the Romanian political parties, as well as
the relationship between the DAHR and the government is determined by the
attitude of these parties and the government to the democratisation process of
the country, including the safeguarding of minority rights, the political
system before 1989 and the exemplary punishing of the persons responsible for
the genocide committed in December. We intend to continue having a constructive
dialogue with the political parties that fulfil the requirements above and
accept the idea of forming a coalition with them.
The
Alliance claims its share of power through its members appointed or elected to
a position in central or local authorities. It holds that the appointment of
Hungarian officials to central or local authorities and administrative organs
should be based on proposals made by the Alliance.
Concerning
legislating activity, the DAHR deputies and senators are bound to observe the
principles and objectives of the programme adopted by the congress.
We
foster relationships with the mother nation, with Hungarian minorities living
in other countries, and with other national communities living in Europe. Under
certain circumstances, we join international organisations and unions.
The
DAHR, as the representative of the Hungarian minority in Romania, endeavours to
contribute in effect to the development and consolidation of the good neighbour
policy between Romania and her neighbouring countries, to the cultural and
political rapprochement between Central Eastern European peoples and thus, the
European integration process. We support the establishment of contacts between
settlements in different countries and, consequently, the establishment of
partnership relations between towns, villages and counties. In our opinion, it
is necessary for the Hungarian community in Romania to be linked to universal
Hungarian life both through institutional and personal contacts. An important
means to achieve this is the establishment of new Hungarian consulates in
Romania.
We
attach special attention to the activity of the Hungarian Permanent Conference
which promotes the relation among the Hungarian communities of the Carpathian
basin, as well as to the institutionalization of this cooperation. The DAHR
assumes an active role in the realization of the goals set up at the
establishment of the Hungarian Permanent Conference.
The
Alliance strives for the development of the Helsinki process, supports the idea
of elaborating and adopting a European charter on the protection of minorities.
It establishes international contacts, represents itself in international
forums and at events concerning minority problems.
Adopted by the 6th Congress of the DAHR
Miercurea Ciuc/Csíkszereda, the 15-16th of
May 1999