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László Tőkés and the Knight's Order of the Star of Romania:


AHF submits memorandum to US Helsinki Commission in follow up to both the Congressional letter to Secretary John Kerry requesting that the “State Department vigorously engage the Romanian government to end the travesty of justice which it has perpetuated by failing to fully restitute properties illegally confiscated from religious denominations after 1945" and AHF's April 25th meeting with the Commission during which AHF expressed its deep concern about threats to democracy and human rights arising from discriminatory actions and policies affecting members of the Hungarian minority in some of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.Romania withdraws the Knight's Order of the "Star of Romania" from hero of the Romanian Revolution, Bishop László Tőkés.11/24/2013 - Romania revokes the Knight's Order of the "Star of Romania" from hero of the Romanian Revolution, Bishop László Tőkés. AHF writes to the US Helsinki Commission on this latest anti-Hungarian measure: "The Federation respectfully and strongly urges you  to publicly on behalf of the Helsinki Commission raise Romania’s most recent anti-Hungarian  phenomenon – the revocation of the Medal Star of Romania previously awarded Bishop Laszlo Tokes for his extraordinarily courageous  role in toppling the Ceaucescu dictatorship during the 1989 revolution.  And what was Bishop Tokes’s transgression resulting in the revocation? Exercising his constitutional rights by standing up for the interests of the Hungarian minority in Romania.  The revocation should be reversed." The revocation comes years of a coordinated smear campaign against him.

[download] AHF's letter to the US Helsinki Commission regarding the withdrawal of the "Star of Romania" from Laszlo Tokes.
[download] AHF's letter to the US Helsinki Commission regarding the withdrawal of the "Star of Romania" from Laszlo Tokes.

November 25, 2013

Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin
Chairman, U.S. Helsinki Commission
Washington, D.C. 20510

Honorable Christopher H. Smith
Co-Chairman, U.S. Helsinki Commission
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman and Co-Chairman:

The American Hungarian Federation (Federation), founded in 1906 as an umbrella organization, is an independent, non-partisan entity representing a broad cross-section of the Hungarian American community. From its founding, the Federation has supported liberal democracy, human and minority rights, including the rights of the Hungarian minority in Romania,* and the rule of law in Central and Eastern Europe.
The Federation respectfully and strongly urges you to publicly on behalf of the Helsinki Commission raise Romania’s most recent human rights violation and anti-Hungarian phenomenon – the revocation of the Medal Star of Romania previously awarded to Bishop Laszlo Tokes for his extraordinarily courageous role in toppling the Ceausescu dictatorship during the 1989 revolution. And what was Bishop Tokes’ transgression resulting in the revocation – exercising his constitutional rights by standing up for the rights of the Hungarian minority in Romania. The revocation should be reversed.

The Federation respectfully and strongly urges you to publicly on behalf of the Helsinki Commission raise Romania’s most recent anti-Hungarian phenomenon – the revocation of the Medal Star of Romania previously awarded Bishop Laszlo Tokes for his extraordinarily courageous role in toppling the Ceaucescu dictatorship during the 1989 revolution International condemnation of the revocation quickly followed. For instance, in an open letter (November 22) Dr. Lee Edwards, chairman of The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, noted, that the “charges [against Bishop Tokes] are clearly unfair and unwarranted. Essential European ‘values’ and the Romanian Constitution include the freedom of speech and the right to speak out about controversial issues. Allowing open discussion and public debate is the sign of a vibrant democracy and constitution and should not be tampered with.”

Goren Linblad, President of The Platform of European Memory and Conscience, wrote to Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta on November 20 pointing out that the “persecution, legal or other, of a citizen, any citizen, even a Member of the European Parliament, for exercising his/her freedom of expression and opinion is never acceptable.”

Mr. Chairman, although in the context of the Helsinki Commission’s hearing on Hungary on March 19, you articulated an important principle, referring to the late Ambassador Max Kampelman who “once observed, minorities are like the canary in the coal mine. In the end, democracy and minority rights stand or fall together. If respect for minorities falls, democracy can’t be far behind.”

The canary is suffocating in Romania. We, therefore, urge you to also publicly call on Romania to respect and live up to fundamental human rights, including the freedom of expression. The Helsinki Commission needs to be heard; violations of fundamental human rights, anti-minority policies and practices, intolerance and undemocratic measures cannot be tolerated. Silence, we fear, would be misinterpreted by some, as unjustified as that would be, as acquiescence and result in further violations of the very principles the Helsinki Commission is charged to advance.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,
Frank Koszorus, Jr.
National President
Public Member of the U.S. Delegation of the 1989 Conference
on Security and Cooperation in Europe on the Human Dimension
________________________________________

*The Federation has turned to the Helsinki Commission on several occasions to express its deep concern over a raft of human rights violations and anti-minority practices and policies, including but not limited to Romania unjustifiably prosecuting former state secretary Attila Marko, Silviu Vlim and Tamas Marosan in connection with the restitution to the Reformed Diocese of Transylvania of the Szekely Miko Evangelical Reformed College in Sfantu-Gheorghe; failing to restitute church, religious and communal properties confiscated by the previous Communist regime; rather than grant its Hungarian minority limited autonomy rights, proposing instead to redistrict administrative units that would further reduce the ability of Hungarians to effectively participate in public affairs, especially in matters affecting them and to enjoy their culture; and refusing to restore the independent Hungarian university in Cluj-Napoca/Kolozsvar.

Below is the disputed fragment of László Tőkés’ speech given at the 24th Summer University at Băile Tuşnad (Romania) on 27 July 2013:

“… I ask Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and his government, to continue developing the Program of National Cooperation. I also ask that they (i.e., the Government of Hungary) exercise a protective function vis-à-vis the ethnic Hungarian minorities beyond the borders of Hungary, including Transylvania, similarly to Austria in the case of South Tyrol.

I take this opportunity to invite the specialists to create a flag for Transylvania. As Transylvanian Szeklers have got their own historic flag, Transylvania – as a large European region – should deserve its own symbol, its own flag. The Transylvanian flag would unite us, with our Romanian fellow citizens, along modern, democratic political principles and goals regarding the regionalization of Transylvania; Transylvanian autonomy forms, including territorial autonomy for the Szekler region; and the federalization of Romania.”

ATTACKS AGAINST LÁSZLÓ TŐKÉS
– 2013 –

1 May 2011.

Editor in chief of the weekly magazine Ştefan cel Mare, Florin Nahorniac, in an article published under the penname of Florin Bucovianul urged the murder of László Tőkés:

„Is this wretched »bozgor« [here: homeless] not ashamed? How can he desecrate the country where he was born, where he has enjoyed all those rights that all Romanian citizens in this country are entitled to? If you don’t like something, why don’t you go to Hungary? Is there no one in this country who would finally put a bullet in this traitor’s head?”

8 February 2013.
Antena 3 TV

On the 8th of February on the Antena 3 TV channel’s „On the Agenda” program Radu Tudor political analyst said that László Tőkés is the biggest anti-Romanian persona alive, while Dana Grecu anchor did not rebuke the journalist thus she transgressed the provisions of the Audiovisual Act.

26 February 2013.

Victor Ponta (PSD) Romanian prime minister declared:

László Tőkés and Monica Macovei (PD-L) are financed from abroad by those whose interest lies in Romania’s instability and who would like to see Romania attacked from all sides. He added that László Tőkés utilises a Hortyist discourse and that together with Monica Macovei for years they have been the representatives of anti-Romanian interests.

He made this declaration with reference to the statement made by the president of the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania with reference to Romania’s division into regions: „Nicolae Ceauşescu was more generous than Victor Ponta, as he made a certain kind of autonomy possible for the Hungarians, while the prime minister refuses the idea of establishing a separate region of Szeklerland.” László Tőkés also stated that Ponta was a follower of the retrograde communist heritage.

30 July 2013.
Mediafax

Prime minister Victor Ponta (PSD): László Tőkés EP-member’s declarations with reference to Transylvania are not only insulting, but belong in the category of criminal statements.

1 August 2013.
MAE

According to the communiqué of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, László Tőkés’s concepts are irredentist and are rooted in the period between the two World Wars. According to Radu Podgoreanu, secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, László Tőkés’s statements made at Tusnad point to the fact that it is inadmissible for a political event organised in Romania to spread revisionist ideas that question the territorial unity and suveranity of the country.

12 August 2013.
Realitatea TV

In Realitatea TV’s „Jocuri de putere” („Power Games”) evening program Nicolae Ulieru, former spokesman of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) declared that in 1990 he saw László Tőkés’s informant files according to which the former bishop was the informer of both the Romanian and the Hungarian secret services. 

13 August 2013.
Romania TV

With reference to the statements made by László Tőkés EP-member, president Traian Băsescu said that: „(László Tőkés) does not deserve to be a citizen of Romania.” He added that „most probably” it should be examined whether a Romanian citizen is allowed to behave like this.

13 August 2013.

Crin Antonescu, president of  PNL, asked president Traian Băsescu to withdraw from László Tőkés the award  „Romania’s Star”.

13 August 2013.
REALITATEA TV

In Realitatea TV’s "Jocuri de Putere" („Power Games”) program  Cozmin Guşă political analyst said that László Tőkés was only a tool, his reputation existed because of the political interests of a few people who still needed him.

14 August 2013.
Antena 3 TV

Răzvan Dumitrescu editor presented a document that he called sensational (a fake bond that has been referred to by the Romanian media numerous times) that was published in the Tinarama magazine already in 1992 by Ioan Itu, and according to which László Tőkés was the informant of the Securitate.

Ioan Itu added: He enjoyed the support of another collaborator of the Securitate, someone who now is the head of the state.

15 August 2013.
Realitatea TV

Realitatea.net published László Tőkés’s so called commitment to the Securitate signed on the 19th November 1982.

15 August 2013.
Ziua/Agerpres

President Traian Băsescu launched a harsh attack against László Tőkés in Marosboro, stating that Transylvania was not object to negotiations and anyone who would question that „would disillusionise everyone regarding anything he had done before.”

20 August 2013.
Antena 3 TV

In Antena 3 TV’s „Subiectiv” („Subjective”) program Ioan Talpeş, former director of the Foreign Intelligence Agency (SIE) stated that László Tőkés had been the agent of the Hungarian intelligence service. Journalist Răzvan Dumitrescu presented again the so called commitment of László Tőkés to the Securitate.

22 August 2013.
Mediafax

Prime minister Victor Ponta, the president of PSD asks president Traian Băsescu, to withdraw László Tőkés „Romania’s Star” award.

28 August 2013.
MEDIAFAX.

Corina Creţu EP-member (PSD) asked Martin Schulz president of the EP to punish László Tőkés.

30 August 2013.
MEDIAFAX.

Corina Cretu EP-member (PSD), member of the Romania’s Star Order, asks for the withdrawal of László Tőkés’s award, addressing a letter to members of the Order in this sense. Her letter refers to László Tőkés’s shameful declarations that contradict the 1st Paragraph of Romania’s Constitution. She also addressed a letter to the Court of Honour of the Romania’s Star Order.

30 August 2013.
Agerpres

Leading politicians of PSD and UNPR, owners of the Romania’s Star award, joining Corina Creţu’s suggestion, ask for the withdrawal of László Tőkés’s award, Victor Ponta, president of PSD announced.

Those who joined: Ilie Sârbu, Dan Nica, Ioan Rus, Ecaterina Andronescu, Alexandru Athanasiu, Ioan Mircea Paşcu, Gabriela Firea, Miron Mitrea, Şerban Valeca, Eugen Bejinariu, Gabriel Oprea, Marian Sârbu and Şerban Mihăilescu.

3 September 2013.

At a press conference President Traian Basesecu stated that seven knights of the Romania’s Star Order had asked for the withdrawal of László Tőkés’s award mentioning that the final decision would be taken by the Court of Honour following its constitution on the 19th of September. The president also stated that following the nomination of the 7 members of the Court of Honour, the Court would be notified about the petition with reference to the withdrawal of László Tőkés’s award.  

Shortly after Romania awarded him the "Star of Romania," Hungary honored Bishop Tokes with the Petofi Award and issued the following statement:

Hungary honours former Timosoara priest Laszlo Tokes and Romanian human rights writer, Gabriel Andreescu, for their bravery during the 1989 Romanian Revolution. A young ethnic Hungarian priest, Laszlo Tokes, whose brave stand against the repressive Ceausescu regime sparked the Romanian revolution twenty years ago, received an award in the Hungarian capital, Budapest on Thursday (December 17).

Reformist priest Tokes had raised his voice from the mid-1980s against the destruction of villages, many of them ethnic Hungarian in Transylvania. For his critical statements he was harassed and suspended. In December the Romanian secret police, the Securitate threatened to deport him but his ethnic Hungarian congregation and many Romanian sympathizers formed a live chain around his church office for several days, then took to the main square to protest. The demonstration against the deportation order was violently put down by government security forces. As the number of people swelled into mass protests, security forces opened fire on demonstrators, some having sought refuge in the city's cathedral.

Nearly 100 Timisoara citizens were killed and hundreds more wounded as the city stood alone to defy Ceausescu's forces for five desperate days, before the revolt blazed a trail to Bucharest and the rest of the country. Speaking in Budapest on Thursday, the director of Hungary's House of Terror Museum, Maria Schmidt, said Tokes and his supporters had shown no fear. "With their resilience, bravery, well-organised resistance, faith and many examples of civic courage, Laszlo Tokes and his supporters proved that they were not afraid. It was not them anymore who were afraid. And they did not back down because they understood that led by their priest they would be able to tear down the walls of fear and if they did that they would become free at last," she said.

Tokes received the Petofi award created jointly by the House of Terror Museum and the Hungarian oil and gas company MOL. The award is named after the Hungarian poet and freedom fighter, Sandor Petofi, who fought in the 1848/49 struggle for independence. The honour includes a large statue and 10,000 euros, which is given in recognition to those who fought for the freedom of the peoples of Central Europe.

Together with Tokes, a Romanian human rights writer, Gabriel Andreescu also received the award. In the 1980's he published critical articles in the western press about the Ceausescu regime. In 1989 he went on a hunger strike for which he was arrested. "The love of justice and the love of freedom - this is our heritage," Tokes said at the ceremony. "The message of Timisoara that rid itself free of the forced silence is the same. And this message is carried on by Gabriel Andreescu with his gentle voice, with the force of the spoken true word, and with unbroken resilience," he added. Andreescu honoured Tokes in his own acceptance speech. "It's important to understand what he is saying, people need to have dignity in special moments. Tokes is a man of justice, not because he is right in everything that is never possible, but because he brings the essence of justice alive," he said. Earlier the week, President Traian Basescu awarded the Star of Romania national order, in rank of Knight, to Tokes in recognition of his achievements.

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[read more]
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Basescu on Fox3/11/2005 - AHF Meets Rumanian President Basescu and urges him to Support Restoration of Church Properties to Hungarian Minority - Rumanian President Traian Basescu kicked off a two-day visit to Washington Tuesday (8 March), with the aim of strengthening the US-Rumanian strategic partnership at the political, military and economic levels. [read more]

George W. Bush praises Basescu as a "special friend" and "special leader." "Rumania is a 'special ally' because Rumania shares the same values we do: human rights, human dignity, rule of law, transparency in government, anti-corruption." AHF knows the situation is far from Bush's rosy picture, but hopes Mr. Bush's encouraging words bring change to Rumania.
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AHF Applauds US Congress and urges the community to thanks the co-sponsors of House Resolution 1916/1/2005 - AHF Applauds US Congress and urges the community to thanks the co-sponsors of House Resolution 191...The United States House of Representatives recently passed H. Res. 191 on May 23, urging the "Government of Romania to recognize its responsibilities to provide equitable, prompt and fair restitution to all religious communities for property confiscated by the former Communist government."
[read more]

Why So Many Hungarians Across the Border?

How Hungary Shrank: Ostensibly in the name of national self-determination, the Treaty dismembered the thousand-year-old Kingdom of Hungary, a self-contained, geographically and economically coherent and durable formation in the Carpathian Basin and boasting the longest lasting historical borders in Europe. It was imposed on Hungary without any negotiation, drawing artificial borders in gross violation of the ethnic principle, it also transferred over three million indigenous ethnic Hungarians and over 70% of the country's territory to foreign rule.One thousand years of nation building successfully delineated groups based on culture, religion, geography, and other attributes to create the countries with which we are so familiar. While some Western European nations would continue power struggles and princely battles and civil wars, Hungary, founded in 896, was a peaceful multi-ethnic state for a 1000 years and her borders were virtually unchanged. Until 1920...

The Treaty of Trianon in 1920... in the aftermath of WWI, was extremely harsh on Hungary and unjustifiably one-sided. The resulting "treaty" lost Hungary an unprecedented 2/3 of her territory, and 1/2 of her total population or 1/3 of her Hungarian-speaking population. Add to this the loss of up to 90% of vast natural resources, industry, railways, and other infrastructure. The clear winner of the land grab, was Rumania, who, established only 60 years earlier, more than doubled in size overnight.

Ethnic Distribution in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1910 (Hungarians shown in red)

Ethnic Distribution in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1910 (Hungarians shown in red)
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Hungarian populations declined significantly after forced removals such as the Benes Decrees and other pograms, the effects of WWI, and Trianon in 1920. With continued pressure and discriminative policies such as the 2009 Slovak Language Law, this trend continued over the past 90 years.

Hungarian populations declined significantly after forced removals such as the Benes Decrees and other pograms, the effects of WWI, and Trianon in 1920. With continued pressure and discriminative policies sucha s the 2009 Slovak Language Law, this trend continued over the past 90 years.

  • In Upper Hungary (awarded to Slovakia, Czechoslovakia): 1,687,977 Slovaks and 1,233,454 others (mostly Hungarians - 886,044, Germans, Ruthenians and Roma) [according to the 1921 census, however, there were 1,941,942 Slovaks and 1,058,928 others]
  • In Carpathian Ruthenia (awarded to Czechoslovakia): 330,010 Ruthenians and 275,932 others (mostly Hungarians, Germans, Romanians, and Slovaks)
  • In Transylvania (awarded to Romania): 2,831,222 Romanians (53.8%) and 2,431,273 others (mostly Hungarians - 1,662,948 (31.6%) and Germans - 563,087 (10.7%)). The 1919 and 1920 Transylvanian censuses indicate a greater percentage of Romanians (57.1%/57.3%) and a smaller Hungarian minority (26.5%/25.5%)
  • In Vojvodina 510,754 Serbs and 1,002,229 others (mostly Hungarians 425,672 and Germans 324,017)
  • In Vojvodina and Croatia-Slavonia combined (awarded to Yugoslavia): 2,756,000 Croats and Serbs and 1,366,000 others (mostly Hungarians and Germans)
  • In Burgenland (awarded to Austria): 217,072 Germans and 69,858 others (mainly Croatian and Hungarian)

[read more on the Treaty of Trianon]

AHF Statements on Trianon:

Articles and Essays by AHF Members
  • "NATO Enlargement" by Frank Koszorus Jr. March 29, 2004
    Remarks on the Occasion of the Enlargement of NATO, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. [download]
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  • "Nato Enlargement And Minority Rights: Prerequisites To Security" by Frank Koszorus, Jr., April 2003
    A memorandum that was submitted to Robert A. Bradtke, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Heather A. Conley, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs during a roundtable discussion on "NATO Enlargement and the Current State of the Trans-Atlantic Alliance." This submission follows several other intiatives, including submissions to Lord Roberston, Secretary General of NATO. [download]
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  • “Nato Enlargement: Promoting Western Values, Strengthening The Alliance” by Frank Koszorus, Jr., April 29, 2003
    A Statement Before The United States Senate Committee On Foreign Relations.
    [download]
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  • "U.S. Senate Unanimously Ratifies Nato Treaty; Senators Raise Rights Of Minorities: Federation Supports Efforts Aimed At Encouraging Romania And Slovakia To Respect Rights Of Hungarian Minorities And Restore Communal Properties" - Press Release by Zoltan Bagdy, May 9, 2003 [download]

Congressional Resolutions and Records

  • H.RES 191 - A RESOLUTION urging the "prompt and fair restitution of church properties by Romania and Slovakia - TOM LANTOS / TOM TANCREDO (April 6th 2005) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE ISSUE OF TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGARIANS -- HON. DONALD E. `BUZ' LUKENS (Extension of Remarks - February 26, 1990) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • VIOLENCE IN TRANSYLVANIA -- HON. DON RITTER (Extension of Remarks - March 22, 1990) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • Transylvanian Monitor #14: Property Restitution.
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