UDMR ‘will continue collaboration’ with coalition partners

UDMR President Markó Béla gave assurances that his party would continue to work together with its current governing coalition partners.

In a press conference, he stressed the fact that the protocol of political collaboration between UDMR and the Social Liberal Union, signed in Bihor county, would not have an adequate impact on a national level, even if ‘the attitude of the Democratic Liberal Party (PD-L) coalition partner had contributed at all to the signing of the protocol’.

These statements were made one day before the congress in which UDMR is going to elect its new president. The candidates for the UDMR presidency are Kelemen Hunor, Péter Eckstein-Kovács and Olosz Gergely. Both the ruling parties and the opposition parties are interested in the result of the election.

At the end of a campaign full of accusations and criticism, the three candidates had several common points in their programmes, such as the representation of Hungarians in the Parliament and the adopting of the most important laws for the community (on the status of minorities, on development regions and others).

All three candidates approve of the current governing coalition. However, Péter Eckstein-Kovács is considering a possible withdrawal from the coalition to avoid the risk of losing voters because of unpopular economic measures and the risk of failing to enter the Parliament in 2012.

The three candidates have similar viewpoints regarding the future strategy of the party with regard to the recently-founded Social Liberal Union.

Collaboration with the Great Romania Party (PRM), Out of the Question

Although they do not preclude dialogue with the Opposition, the closing of a collaboration deal between the Social Democrat Party (PSD) and the Great Romania Party (PRM) last week in Ilfov county determined the three candidates for UDMR leadership to reject, at least for the short term, the siding of UDMR with any political association which includes PRM.

‘In an alliance in which PRM gets in through the back door, there is no way you can set the foundations for a collaboration with PRM, in the living room’, Kelemen Hunor said.

‘The time has not yet come for a dialogue with the Opposition. I even think it would be a mistake to begin a dialogue now, when PSD closes an alliance with PRM’, Péter Eckstein-Kovács pointed out.

‘Now, PSD allied with PRM, as well. I do not think that PRM can represent our interests. By no means can PRM represent the interests of the Hungarians in this country’, Olosz Gergely affirmed.

Just two days before the congress, right in Bihor county, where the event is scheduled to take place, UDMR, the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Conservative Party (PC) and PSD signed a collaboration protocol on a regional level.

The three candidates don’t agree on the way the Union should be led.

Kelemen Hunor suggests there should be created the position of political vice-president.

The position would be given to László Borbély, who would then team up with the president of the party.

Both Péter Eckstein-Kovács and Olosz Gergely reject the idea, on the grounds that this position might reduce the power of the future UDMR leader.

Translated by: Ruxandra Câmpeanu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest