There is only one Romanian civil rights figure who has never responded to SZNT's submissions: the President of Romania. "You should answer in a mandatory way: this is such arrogance and disrespect for us that it is simply humiliating," said the official of the Székely National Council.

Watch fires were lit in more than a hundred settlements in Székelyföld on Sunday evening as a sign that the native population of the area is demanding territorial autonomy, Zoltán Gazda, the president of the Sepsiszék Székely Council and the main organizer of the movement, told MTI.

At the bonfires lit after dark on the heights of the settlements, the local organizers everywhere read out the manifesto of the event, which was signed by Balázs Izsák, the president of the Székely National Council (SZNT), which initiated and organized the bonfire.

    "We confirm that our commitment to autonomy has not changed. We declare once again: The territorial autonomy of Székelyföld is a pledge of peace, security and prosperity, a legal framework that guarantees full and effective equality for the citizens of Székelyföld"

the document points out.

According to the manifesto sent to MTI, the SZNT proved that it can act for the interests of Székelyföld at the European level despite the obstacles of the authorities, thereby opening up an international arena. According to the document, the movement faces another task: to create and operate the system of self-organization of the Székely people, the Székelyföld identity card.

    "Let this evening be a moment when every member of the community becomes aware of the task that we have to do together in the future and becomes a personal experience. Become aware, become a personal experience for every Hungarian: Hungary's sovereignty must be protected, Székelyföld's autonomy must be won! Thus, two areas will be the carriers of Hungarian national unity: sovereign Hungary and autonomous Székelyföld"

- can be read in the manifesto of the Székelyföld guard fire.

When asked by MTI why the SZNT considered it necessary to speak up for Hungary's sovereignty, Zoltán Gazda said:

the people of Székely need the support of the mother country in their struggle for autonomy, so it is very important for us that Hungary can preserve its freedom, while they see that the European Union wants to limit its freedom of movement.

According to the main organizer, the proclamations read out during the vigils - similar to the proclamations on Székely Independence Day on March 10 - will be sent to the foreign missions in Bucharest, the forums of the European Union, both speakers of the two-chamber parliament in Bucharest, the Romanian prime minister and the head of state of Romania.

As he said, some kind of threat usually comes in response, stating that Romania perfectly respects the rights of minorities, or they are not even given a reply, or they receive a diplomatic response that the manifesto has been forwarded to the relevant specialized committees.

He added:

there is only one Romanian dignitary who has never responded to SZNT's submissions: the President of Romania. "You should respond in a mandatory way: this is such arrogance and disrespect for us that it is simply humiliating"

said the official of the Székely National Council.

In 2016, the SZNT, which was reconstituted twenty years ago - founded more than a hundred years ago - declared the last Sunday of October as the day of the autonomy of Székelyföld, when they pray for the autonomy of Székelyföld together in the churches, and in the evening the region demanding self-determination is "made visible" by lighting watch fires.

MTI

Õrtûz is lit in Csepel, at Daru-domb, on the day of Székely autonomy on October 29, 2023.
In 2015, the Székely National Council (SZNT) declared the last Sunday of October to be the day of the autonomy of Székelyland, on which bonfires are lit throughout the Carpathian Basin. MTI/Attila Kovács