SZNT, which has been consistently representing Székelyföld's aspirations for autonomy for two decades, will re-organize the traditional rally and parade in Marosvásárhely on Friday, after a four-year hiatus. Due to the pandemic, smaller commemorations have been held in the settlements of Székelyföld in recent years instead of mass events.
Speaking to MTI, Izsák Balázs said: according to tradition, the rally will begin at the Székely Martyrs' Memorial on Friday, March 10, from 4 p.m. local time.
László Tőkés, the president of the Transylvanian Hungarian National Council (EMNT) and chief adviser to the Prime Minister Katalin Szili will give a speech, and then the proclamation addressed to the Romanian government will be read.
After the wreath-laying, the participants march to the main square of the city, in front of the prefect's office, where they hand over their petition addressed to the Romanian government to the prefect or his representative.
At the end of the parade, the SZNT Gábor Áron Award will be presented, which this year can be received by the prime minister's agent Katalin Szili and university professor Miklós Bakk for their service to the cause of autonomy. The award ceremony will be held in the small hall of the Palace of Culture.
According to the president of the SZNT, thousands of participants are expected, from some settlements - for example, Sepsiszentgyörgy, Kézdivásárhely, Székelyudvarhely, Makkfalva - the participants will come in an organized manner by buses, others will come individually.
There will also be foreign guests at the event, from Catalonia, the Basque Country and Upper Silesia, who will bring the message of their own community to Marosvásárhely, said Balázs Izsák.
At the same time as the event in Marosvásárhely, sympathizing demonstrations are held in many settlements of the Carpathian Basin and around the world. According to Izsák Balázs, the SZNT is not aware of all such events, they learn about many afterwards.
According to their information, in Hungary Székesfehérvár, Paks, Sárpatak, Diósd, Szolnok, Miskolc, Budakesz will celebrate the day of the unity of the Szeklers on Friday.
This year, Budakeszi municipality joined the municipalities of the motherland supporting the territorial autonomy aspirations of the Hungarians living in Székelyföld.
When asked by MTI whether they encountered any obstacles during the organization - the local authorities regularly tried to prevent the holding of the assembly in previous years - Izsák Balázs said: not so far, and he hopes that there will be no obstacles in the future either. The president of the SZNT met with representatives of the gendarmerie on Wednesday. He emphasized: this is essential so that the event can take place without any incident.
The Székely Freedom Day is a commemorative day held on March 10 every year based on the decision of the SZNT on January 6, 2012, the day of unity of the Székely people.
On this day in 1854, college teacher János Török Bágyi, lawyer Mihály Gálffy Martonosi and landowner Károly Horváth Nagyváradi were executed on this day in Postarét in Marosvásárhely, who, as members of the Makk conspiracy, wanted to rekindle the flame of the failed Hungarian revolution and freedom struggle.
The event is commemorated by the Székely Martyrs' Monument in Marosvásárhely, which is traditionally the location of the event.
MTI
Photo: szekelyfold.ma
