Balázs Izsák, the president of the Székely National Council (SZNT), received the 2020 Tőkés award, the recognition was presented yesterday at the public board of trustees meeting in the Reformed church in Kisvárda.

The prestigious prize created by the László Tőkés Foundation in 1989 was awarded to the Székely politician by the organization's board of trustees last year, however, due to the coronavirus epidemic, the ceremony could only be held now.

At the event, Zsolt Németh, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament, recalled the efforts made by the awardee and the organization he led for the sake of Hungarians abroad, and said in his eulogy that under the leadership of Izsák Balázs, the SZNT created Székely political subjectivity not only in the Carpathian Basin, but also on an international level.

The support of Hungary, Hungarian foreign policy and Hungarian national policy can only be effective and efficient if Hungarian political subjects are created abroad, beyond a clear border, the SZNT has created the preconditions for this in recent years, stated the Fidesz politician.

According to his words, Balázs Izsák is the continuation of the same struggle that László Tőkés started, so this recognition could even be called the award of non-negotiation with capital letters. The spirit of Timisoara, breaking down the wall of silence, is not a one-time task, but a way of thinking, without which Hungarian national politics cannot be effective either at home or abroad - Zsolt Németh pointed out.

Balázs Izsák was born in Sepsiszentgyörgy in 1952, graduated from Bolyai Lyceum in Marosvásárhely in 1971, and completed his higher education at the Energetics Faculty of the Bucharest Polytechnic Institute in 1976. He has been continuously involved in the public life of Transylvania since the fall of the Ceausescu regime, and many of his writings on minority politics have been published.

In 1990, he became a member of the Romanian Hungarian Democratic Union (RMDSZ), in 2008 he was elected president of the SZNT, then he was re-elected in 2013 and 2017. Balázs Izsák received the commemorative plaque created by the sculptor Sándor Györi from the chairman of the board of trustees Lengyel Szabolcs.

Lengyel Szabolcs also announced at the event that the 2021 Tőkés prize was awarded this year to Emőke Bagdy, clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, by the foundation's board of trustees. The award is expected to be presented to the recipient in September.

According to Erdély.ma

Image: MTI