The Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) decided Friday to stay in the coalition government, while party leader Kelemen Hunor announced to step down from all the positions he holds in the cabinet, according to Shanghai Daily.”The UDMR stays in the governing coalition, I step down from culture minister and vice prime minister in the coming days,” Kelemen Hunor said at the end of the union’s Standing Council meeting in Cluj-Napoca, central-western Romania.
The UDMR Standing Council on Friday gathered at the party’s headquarters in Cluj Napoca to decide over either remaining in or leaving the government.
The meeting of UDMR, minor at rule, came after the Romanian government decided to support the European Commission’s position in respect to the citizens’ initiative dubbed “Minority SafePack,” according to which the European Union should assume responsibilities through its fundamental treaties in what concerns the rights of the minorities, which are solely regulated by the national laws at present.
Several of the UDMR leaders, among whom Kelemen Hunor himself, challenged the rejection of the citizens’ initiative concerning the protection of the national minorities, while the Romanian government, through the Foreign Ministry, expressed its support for the Commission’s adopted position.
Thus, the UDMR leadership started contemplating the possibly of leaving the government.
UDMR Senator Verestoy Attila said earlier Friday that, in his opinion, UDMR should stay at rule, otherwise, “we are going to lose the precise platform that we need in order to be able to solve this matter.”
Attila appreciated that the problem UDMR is facing right now “can be solved through dialogue, while trying to reach a consensus and cooperate and also, if possible, by remaining in the ruling coalition.”
Prime Minister Victor Ponta said earlier this week that “I have a very good relation with the UDMR, we have co-worked very well. I will do anything it takes to find a solution to keep the coalition going.”
“However, when it comes to a state policy, this cannot be negotiated for a governing coalition,” said Ponta.
UDMR entered the ruling coalition in early March, a week after the split of the former ruling Social Liberal Union.
