that he will launch an organization aimed at reaching self government for his country’s estimated two million ethnic Hungarians.
His ‘Hungarian National Community of Romania’ , to be introduced on March 14, will likely compete with the party Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania HDUR), of which Tokes was honorary president.
Tokes resigned from the post earlier this month after tensions about the future direction of the party, BosNewsLife learned.
VOICE
The HDUR was founded as a voice for long persecuted ethnic Hungarians, after the overthrown of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu during a revolution in 1989, in which Tokes played a crucial role.
However Tokes has said that the HDUR "deviated from the values, mentality, program and objectives that characterized the organization initially," and that he had no other option than to resign.
He also criticized the party for making to many compromises with the Romanian Government, in an effort to gain more power. The HDUR leadership has denied those charges. HDUR leader Bela Marko suggested recently he wanted to "enable all to say either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and give place to all trends."
FRACTION
Tokes seems to represent a fraction that wants more autonomy for Transylvania, an area that Hungary was forced to give up to Romania following World War One. He also has reportedly made clear that traditional churches should have more say in policies regarding ethnic minorities, as their rights would otherwise "be offered on the altar of European Union expansion."
In his statement released Thursday, February 27, on Hungarian Television, Tokes suggested that his ‘Hungarian National Community of Romania’ would mirror a similar organization in Serbia’s province, Vojvodina. However his critics, including some church officials, say the bishop should deal more with spiritual tasks and less with politics.
In several interviews with BosNewsLife, Tokes has made clear that he believes those two missions can be combined. He said Thursday, February 27, he is pleased his organization will be launched on the eve of March 15, when ethnic Hungarians remember the 1848- revolution for freedom against the Habsburg regime.
