What’s going on? Hungarian police officers entered Romania, President also there – UPDATED

Hungarian police will help Romanian colleagues in guarding the security of the Csíksomlyó Pilgrimage held in Şumuleu Ciuc (Csíksomlyó), in central Romania, the interior ministry’s state secretary said on Friday.

Bence Rétvári said that the presence of Hungarian police would improve Hungarians citizens’ sense of security, make communications easier, and help the swift resolution of any problems that might emerge. He also said that Hungarian police to serve in Transylvania had good communication skills and high stress tolerance, and the majority also speak Romanian.

Hungary financing camps, community programmes in Romania

“Supporting ethnic kin in Transylvania is a natural activity for the Hungarian government,” therefore the government contributes to camps and other community programmes there, the state secretary in charge of ties with ethnic and religious communities said on the sidelines of the traditional Sumuleu (Csíksomlyó) religious festival on Saturday.

Miklós Soltész said the government’s programmes were aimed at helping ethnic Hungarians prosper in their homeland and promote economic, cultural, and religious activities. This year, the Hungarian government has allocated funds for 225 camps and other community programmes, he said, and mentioned a contribution of 15 million forints for a youth meeting in Sumuleu, and another 5 million for a festival in Gheorgheni (Gyergyószentmiklós).

Lorinc Nacsa, the state secretary for nation policy, said the government continued financing a campus of the Sapientia Hungarian University in Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda), which he said provided skills helping youth to stay and work in their homeland. He added that the Márton Áron Centre for young talents would benefit from a contribution of 220 million forints this year to provide high quality education in Harghita county.

Nacsa said the Hungarian government’s support was instrumental for the ethnic Hungarian community’s survival and preservation of its national identity. “Strong communities are needed to help the Hungarian nation go stronger,” he added.

President Sulyok visits Targu Mures, Lunca de Sus, Ghimes-Faget

President Tamás Sulyok paid visits to Targu Mures (Marosváráshely), Lunca de Sus (Gyimesfelsőlok) and Ghimes-Faget (Gyimesbükk), on Friday, the first day of his visit to Transylvania. HERE is a Reels video of a friendly basketball match in Gyimesfelsőlok with the participation of the Hungarian President.

In Targu Mures, the president visited the Transylvanian Heritage House, in Lunca de Sus he paid a visit to the Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Theological High School and in Ghimes-Faget he met Father Jozsef Salamon in the Holy Body and Blood of Christ Parish.

After visiting the Transylvanian Heritage House, Sulyok held informal talks with its head, Laszlo Kelemen, Ferenc Peter, the head of the council of Mures County, Mihaly Levente Kovacs, the acting mayor, and Attila Csibi, the managing director of the local chapter of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ).

Pentecost Mass in Csíksomlyó

Sulyok will attend the Pentecost mass in Sumuleu Ciuc (Csíksomlyó) on Saturday. At the Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Theological High School, the president was greeted by Father Lajos Berszan, the school’s founder, before watching a play on the history of the institution performed by students.

Sulyok then met and spoke with the students, answering several of their questions. Asked what motivates him in his job, the president said it was “always motivating to greet a new day”, but “the most important motivators are family, friends and soulmates”.

UPDATE: Sulyok expresses solidarity of Hungarian nation with residents of Parajd (Praid)

Sulyok expressed the solidarity of the entire Hungarian nation with the residents of Praid (Parajd, in central Romania) at a press conference at the entrance to the local salt mine on Sunday. Sulyok acknowledged the fears of locals impacted by flooding that has threatened the mine, a major tourist attraction, and said they could count on support. He thanked Hungarian Interchurch Aid for assisting the residents of Praid.

Sulyok said the entire Hungarian nation shared the pain of the local community. From that pain will come strength for rebuilding, he added, pledging support for residents to find their future.

Dorottya Révfalvi, the head of the assistance centre of Hungarian Interchurch Aid, said the group had provided aid to the region since the previous week and was supplying locals with disinfectant and cleaning supplies as well bottled water for around 4,000 people. The latest aid delivery, including non-perishables, arrived on Saturday, she added.

Révfalvi said around 180 families were certain to get assistance from donations that had been made for the purpose. That assistance will take the form of vouchers at the start, ones that families can use to buy building materials to make their homes livable again, followed by support to acquire furnishings, she added. So far, 251 million forints (EUR 622,000) in donations has been collected, she said. President Sulyok met with László Nyágrus, the mayor of Praid, on Sunday.

Read also:

• Why do hundreds of thousands of Hungarians go to Csíksomlyó on Pentecost? – read more HERE