Recently, the domestic press was full of the Romanian head of state because of his anti-Hungarian hate speech, but the tide turned, Klaus Iohannis for the first time during his six-year term of office took the courage to greet the country's Hungarian citizens on their national holiday. Obviously, it's not that he showed remorse for last spring's anti-Hungarian incitement, he learned the obligatory round with platitudes (probably because the RMDSZ came to power, his pen stuck), but at least he did it. Even if it doesn't make us love you more…

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis praised the role played by the Hungarian minority in Romania, emphasized the importance of harmonious inter-ethnic relations and the common destiny of Europe in his March 15 message addressed to "Romanian citizens of Hungarian ethnicity", which was published on Monday on the website of the presidential office.

"Today is an opportunity for you, Romanian citizens of Hungarian ethnicity, to confess your values ​​that create the unity of your people, to which you insist, to proudly present your identity, with which you have written yourself into history and universal culture," wrote the Romanian head of state in his message.

On this occasion, Iohannis recalled that the Hungarian minority and the political representatives of the community contributed significantly to the European integration of Romania, the democratization of the country, and the building of a society based on human rights and the protection of minorities. He added: this also shows that they understood the historical lesson that these values ​​form the basis of a common European future.

According to the Romanian head of state, the campaign against the pandemic and the solidarity shown during the difficult period prove that Romanians and Hungarians are capable of putting their talents to the service of overcoming difficulties.

"By fostering inter-ethnic harmony, we will develop and strengthen our society together: this is a common goal, in the realization of which the Hungarian minority in Romania also plays a remarkable role," concluded the Romanian President's message.

In the 2019 presidential election campaign, Kelemen Hunor , president of the Romanian Hungarian Democratic Union (RMDSZ), pointed out that since the regime change, Iohannis is the first Romanian president who has not had any message for the Hungarian community on the occasion of March 15.

Among the Romanian state leaders, former Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea - the head of the first Bucharest coalition government formed with RMDSZ participation - was the first politician to greet the Hungarians in Romania on their national holiday in 1997. Since then, no Romanian prime minister has failed to do so, and the incumbent Romanian head of state also sent a message to his fellow Hungarian citizens on March 15.

2022 plus / MTI

Cover image: MTI/EPA/ROMANIAN PRESIDENCY/DRAGOS ASAFTEI