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RADOR: News from Romania, 99-03-16
March 16, 1999
CONTENTS
[01] International Hungarians' Day in Romania
[02] Message by the Prime-Minister
[03] Celebrations on March 15
[04] Party for National Unity denied invitation to take part in the
celebrations
[05] President Constantinescu to start a dialogue with political forces
[06] Visit by Romanian Foreign MInister to Bonn
[07] Joseph Fischer: "We want Romania to become member of EU"
[08] Schedule of the Pope's visit to Romania
[01] International Hungarians' Day in Romania
On the occasion of the International Hungarians' Day celebrated on March 15,
the Romanian President Emil Constantinescu addressed a message to the
ethnic Hungarians in Romania. The President said that the joint celebration
of this day by Romanians and ethnic Hungarians is better that any public
address in expressing the loyal relation, the friendship and cooperation
between these two communities in Romania. "The year 1848 was the springtime
of all European nations, an era of claiming for freedom, Requality and
national consciousness. We are today celebrating a day of freedom, a day
celebrated by all Hungarians, all over the world. Tomorrow we are going to
celebrate the Romanian festivals together and I hope by these joint
celebrations freedom and equality for all will prevail", the President
said. RADOR, March 16
[02] Message by the Prime-Minister
Leaders of the Democratic Union of Hungarians (DUHR) have appreciated the
message by Romanian Prime-Minister Radu Vasile. In his message the Prime-
Minister reminded that 151 years ago the Romanians and ethnic Hungarians
could not rationalize their decisions and passion had many times prevailed
upon reason. Mr Vasile said that it was time for the Romanians and ethnic
Hungarians to be wiser and more aware of their destiny together and to act
to fulfill the dreams of those who fought in 1848. RADOR, March 16
[03] Celebrations on March 15
Ethnic Hungarians celebrated the day of March 15 in all important cities in
Transylvania. TheRreligious service in Cluj on Sunday was attended by the
Romanian Minister for Minorities Eckstein Kovacs Petera and by the head of
the local DUHR branch. Celebrations in the city of Miercurea Ciuc were
attended by the health Minister Hajdu Gabor and by the prefect of Harghita
district. Thhey have read the Prime-Minister's message in Romanian and
Hungarian. Celebrations in the city of Targu Mures were attended by
Hungary's Ambassador to Romania His Excellency Szocs Ferenc. RADOR, March
16
[04] Party for National Unity denied invitation to take part in the
celebrations
As the DUHR invited representatives of all Romanian political parties to
take part in the celebrations on March 15 the deputy of the National Unity
Party Lazar Ladariu has announced that his party denied the invitation
because - they said - they refused to join "a celebration which tries to
turn the comemoration of 40,000 Romanians killed in a civil war into a
festival". RADOR, March 16
[05] President ConstantinescuRto start a dialogue with political forces
The Romanian President has shown interest in the proposal by the Party for
Social Democracy for a debate with participation of all political forces in
Romania. Starting these dialogues in this time of crisis can lead to a
national understanding and joint action in view of boosting citizens'
confidence in state institutions. RADOR, March 16
[06] Visit by Romanian Foreign MInister to Bonn
The Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu met Vice-Chancellor Joseph
Fischer and Chairman of the Foreign Policy Commission within the Bundestag
Hans Ulrich Klose to Bonn on Monday. When coming back to Romania Mr Plesu
said that Germany was backing the reform process in Romania and the
country's efforts to join the the EU and NATO. In exchange, he said,
Romania had to prove its efficiecy. Mr Plesu had talks in Bonn over the
creation of Romanian-German cooperation forum and over boosting bilateral
economic and political relations. As part of this the GermanRChancellor and
Vice-Chancellor are due to come to Bucharest this year. RADOR, March 16
[07] Joseph Fischer: "We want Romania to become member of EU"
"Romania is an important partner for the EU and for Germany. We fully
support Romania in its effort to join the EU and NATO. He have talked over
the pre-joining process and we believe Romania's action is not only a
legitimate one but also one in NATO and EU's interests and we want to back
this step. We want Romania to become member of the EU. This is not only a
formal statement. We had concrete talks over this matter. Based on the
report by the European Commission this fall the Council of Europe is going
to decide over the next steps in Helsinki in December" - the Fedral Foreign
Minister said. RADOR, March 16
[08] Schedule of the Pope's visit to Romania
The Government's Press Office has released a communique in which they state
the main points of Pope John Paul II's visit to Romania on May 7-9. On
Friday, May 7, the Pope is going to Re welcomed at the Baneasa airport in
Bucharest. Then the Pope will pray at the Patriarchal Cathedral and in the
afternoon he will meet Romanian Catholic bishops. In the evening the
Pontiff will meet the Romanian President Emil Constantinescu and other
Romanian personallities at the Cotroceni palace. On May 8 the Pope will
pray at the "Bellu" Catholic cemetery in Bucharest and he will hold a holy
service at the St. Joseph Catholic Cathedral. In the afternoon the Holy
Father will meet the Romanian Patriarch Teoctist and members of the Holy
Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. On Sunday morning the Pope will meet
the Prime-Minister and then he will attend the holy service held by the
Romanian Patriarch and members of the Holy Synod. In the afternoon Pope
John Paul II will hold a holy service in presence of the Romanian Patriarch
Teoctist. The official leaving ceremony will be held at the Baneasa
airport. RADOR, March 16
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