Romanian Press Slams Hungarian President Over Visit to Transylvania

Some Romanians are apoplectic over Hungary's president and PM showing solidarity with ethnic Hungarians.

Sepsiszentgyörgy, 2023. május 28. Novák Katalin köztársasági elnök, Kató Béla református püspök (középen, b-j), Dénes Elõd (b) és Bucsi Zsolt Tamás (j) lelkész, valamint a református vártemplom konfirmandusainak társaságában Sepsiszentgyörgyön 2023. május 28. MTI/Veres Nándor Fotó: Veres Nándor

In April of last year, around fifty Romanian protesters greeted Hungary's President Katalin Novak with whistles and nationalistic chants in Carei (Nagykaroly). The head of state had arrived in the northwest Romanian town, still inhabited predominantly by ethnic Hungarians [historically part of the Hungarian Kingdom - ed.], to attend the inauguration of the statue of Ferenc Kolcsey [writer of the poem that became Hungary's national anthem - ed.]. The demonstrators held up placards with the slogans "This is Romania, this is our country!" and "One thing is eternal: Transylvania is Romanian land!". When Katalin Novak arrived at the mayor's office in Carei, the demonstrators chanted "Romania, Romania!" and "Long live and prosper Moldavia, Transylvania and Wallachia!" to disrupt the event.

Cover photo: Hungarian President Katalin Novak in the company of Reformed Bishop Bela Kato (center), Pastors Elod Denes (left) and Zsolt Tamas Bucsi (right), and confirmands of the Reformed Fortified Church in Sfantu Gheorghe (Sepsiszentgyorgy), Romania on May 28, 2023 (Photo: MTI/Nandor Veres)