T
he varied and pluralist character of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) is evident when one considers its ideological platforms. The Christian Democratic Platform is among the most important ones. Its aim is to give Christian Democratic ideas due emphasis in Hungarian Transylvanian social life. KĂĄlmĂĄn Kelemen, president of the platform talks about the objectives and activity of the platform.
Christian Democracy as Vital Ideology to Hungarians What is the role of the Christian Democratic Platform in the life of the Alliance and the Hungarian community in Transylvania? Christian Democratic ideas have a significant and determining role in the life of the Hungarian community in Romania. We all know how Christian Democrats contributed to the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. Despite signs of crisis, the results reached in Europe are also an outcome of the efforts to form the social life of the continent in the spirit of Christian Democratic values. The Hungarian community in Romania was integrated in this process in the spring of 1990 when a group of 10 people founded the Hungarian Christian Democratic Party in Romania. Within a few years we realized we needed to cooperate with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania in order to preserve the unity of the Hungarian community in Transylvania. Thus after having been a party we became the Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement in Romania and ended up as the Christian Democratic Platform integrated into the varied organizational life of the Alliance.
What are the programs and initiatives of the Christian Democratic Platform? The activity carried out within the platform focuses on presenting the values and principles of the Hungarian community in Transylvania. Our aim is to emphasize the importance of the unity of Hungarians living in scattered groups in Romania and to do that in the Christian Democratic spirit focusing on the values of family life and proper education in order to raise responsible future citizens. The Christian Democratic Platform of the RMDSZ was the first movement to tackle the issue of historical and immigrant minorities on international level. It is our conviction that historical minorities should receive a different treatment as compared to immigrant ones. Would you talk about the international relations of the Platform? The Christian Democratic Platform of the RMDSZ has established extended international relations. Owing to our relations established with the Austrian MP of EPP in 1991-92 we were credited international attention and had the opportunity to present the Hungarian Christian Democratic movement in Romania, the expectations of the Hungarian community in Transylvania and their fight for survival as a self-identical community. As an outcome of our good relations and cooperation with the president of the Vienna Academy we were able to train a few politicians at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. The Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement in Romania was the first Eastern European movement to become a member of the former European Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Democrat International. We are internationally acknowledged members of the European People’s Party. As a token of our gratitude for the excellent cooperation with the EPP we have given Wilfried Martens, president of the EPP a bronze memorial plaque for his 75th birthday.
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