Official consults Romanian ambassador over ‘disgraceful events’ at military cemetery

Levente Magyar, parliamentary state secretary of the foreign ministry, referred to Romanian extremists who last weekend vandalised and held picnics on the graves of first world war Hungarian soldiers.

He said the Romanian authorities had been “passive observers of these disgraceful events”.

The Hungarian official also noted a final court ruling issued in the summer that ordered the removal of illegally placed concrete crosses.

He discussed these issues with the Romanian ambassador on Tuesday, and they agreed that the relevant authorities should agree on a long-term solution.

Magyar referred to an “open wound in bilateral relations”. But Hungary wants to focus instead on how the two countries can be better connected with roads and railway lines and help Romania join the Schengen agreement, he said.

Magyar said the issue hurt bilateral relations and trampled on basic human values.