The number of participants in the interethnic solidarity action in Cluj Napoca is estimated at 200 people. Both Romanians and Hungarians participated in the event organized at Facebook.

The call was as follows: “We do not let ourselves be manipulated. We will not spoil the relationship with friends and neighbors just because of the scandal or because of the politicians. We will not sacrifice peace on the ethno-nationalist altar. We do not accept the violence and the provocations. We are Romanians, Hungarians, Germans, Romas or any other nationality, we are aware citizens. We go out on the streets for the Romania of an Europe that is not racist, chauvinist and freedom of speech. ”

The protestors walked in the center of the city with papers containing messages against violence and manipulation, both in Romanian and Hungarian.

On behalf of the organizers spoke: Cornel Vîlcu, professor at the Faculty of Linguistics of UBB, member of the #Rezist movement, and István Szakáts, the head of the AltArt Foundation.

Vîlcu warned us: when things do not go well in a country and when the parties in power have to face a “mistrust movement,” as was the 26th of May, they try to distract the attention of the public of the real problems and destroy their solidarity. Events in the Valea Uzului fall into this category, resume the conflicts of the past, and create conflicts between several groups.

“The purpose of the protest in Cluj is to prove that there are normal communities in Transylvania that live together without major problems and where no one is Romanian, Hungarian or Roma. However, there are parties, and now I am thinking of the governmental coalitions and political bodies that support those parties, that win votes of this kind of conflict”, Vîlcu said, and as a Romanian and Christian apologized on behalf of all the Romanians who participated to the events in the Valea Uzului.

István Szakáts said that it is clearly a provocation, and that we should not let those who have planned everything not to take responsibility.

The crowd went to the city center via Unirii Street. Many have noticed that some of the participants have the inscription “We are all Romanian!” on their papers. The organizers said it was about the fact that we are all Romanian citizens.

Source: Szabadsag
(TFP translation)