In telephone interviews on 19 and 20 July 1999, the vice-president of the Romanian Helsinki Committee in Bucharest provided the following information which represents her viewpoint.

The Hungarian national day in Romania is March 15th, and on this date ethnic Hungarians, particularly in Transylvania, publicly display the Hungarian flag. In previous years, their hoisting of the Hungarian flag in public has resulted in denunciations in the media. The vice-president has not heard any reports indicating that ethnic Hungarians were denounced this year for displaying the Hungarian flag in public on the Hungarian national day. The vice-president stated that no one has been prosecuted in Romania for publicly displaying a foreign flag under Article 7 of Law No. 75 of 1994, or under any other legislation. The vice-president did not know whether the possession of a foreign flag while crossing the Hungarian-Romanian border was legal. The vice-president added that neither the possession of a foreign flag while crossing the Hungarian-Romanian border, nor the public possession of a foreign flag, would be considered as acts of treason under Romanian legislation.

For additional information on the hoisting of foreign flags in Romania, please consult ROM25231.EX of 28 October 1996.

A 9 February 1999 AP article states:

Funar [Gheorghe Funar], a top member of the extremist Greater Romania Party, became mayor [of Cluj] in 1992 of this city of 330,000 about 325 kilometers (200 miles) northwest of Bucharest. He has since banned beggars and foreign flags, notably flags of the large ethnic Hungarian minority.

No additional information on whether Romanian citizens who possess Hungarian flags, including those who possess them while crossing the Hungarian-Romanian border, are committing a legal infraction in Romania, particularly that of treason, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

The Associated Press (AP). 9 February 1999. "Pictures of Naked Women Banned By Ultranationalist Mayor." (NEXIS)

Romanian Helsinki Committee, Bucharest. 19-20 July 1999. Telephone interviews with the vice-president.

Electronic sources: IRB databases, Internet, NEXIS/LEXIS, REFWORLD, WNC.

Resource Centre country file on Romania. January 1998 - May 1999.

Transitions [Prague]. May 1998 - March 1999.

Unsuccessful attempts to contact other oral sources.