Re-election and General Meeting of MCSMSZ

Each member of the Association of Csango-Hungarians in Moldavia received a written invitation from the executive board of the Association to the general meeting due to take place on 14 June 2009 for the purposes of discussing the items on the agenda previously published on our website.
The meeting started at 10:00 a.m. in the (700-seat) assembly hall of the Vasile Alecsandri community centre of Bákó (Bacău). It was the first time in the history of MCSMSZ that a general meeting was held in such a large hall, for it was just the lack of space that the general meeting convened for 26 April 2009 had to be adjourned, because the 200-seat room rented at that time proved to be cramped due to the great interest shown.
285 members altogether attended the general meeting in June. Members were “allowed to enter” at the entrance according to statutory regulations: those who were already members needed to sign the attendance sheet stating their personal data, before entering the room. Csango people from Moldavia wishing to join the Association only now were given this opportunity, and thereafter they also took their seats in the hall, and so everyone was equally granted the right to elect and to be elected. The representatives of the press were also warmly welcome, several media were represented at the meeting but they certainly had no right to vote. However, following accreditation, they were also permitted to be present till the end of the general meeting. The colleague of MCSMSZ also created a video recording of the entire duration of the general meeting, and official minutes were taken, too.

After the executive board had established that not more than 285 of the 1535 members were present, the general meeting was dismissed and an extraordinary meeting was reconvened for the same day.

After greeting those present, our President, Solomon Adrián, proposed the person to chair the meeting and the items on the agenda to be adopted. The general meeting approved Solomon Adrián to chair the general meeting and then also adopted the agenda announced. Thereafter, the general meeting voted to admit 77 new members, who have joined us since the last general meeting.

Prior to the general meeting, the resigning President of MCSMSZ gave a general account of the results and difficulties achieved and encountered mostly since November 2008 (the report given at last general meeting).

According to the next item on the agenda, Sipos Éva, chartered accountant, the President of the Supervisory Board of MCSMSZ read out the report of the Supervisory Board for fiscal year 2008. After the financial report had been described, the general meeting adopted the same by a show of hands.

Prior to the general re-election, the general meeting appointed the vote counting committee. Nyisztor Tinka and Róka Szilvia rejected the invitation, and so in the end Szász Anna, Bartha András and Ghiurca Valentin were responsible for counting the votes.

In the meantime, the names of the persons designated for various posts were capable of being followed by those present, on the projection screen of the assembly hall. In accordance with the Statutes, a show of hands was held to decide on the acceptance of the nominees.

Before electing the President, Solomon Adrián declared to undertake the direction of MCSMSZ’ affairs for the coming 2 years, if he is entrusted by the general meeting with doing so, then questioned those present whether there was someone else nominated for this post. No one was nominated for the post of President by those present.
Thus, the former and new President of the Association was elected by 254-1 votes for him with 30 abstentions for the coming 2 years.

The President introduced the team he would like to work with, and the nominees for all posts required in the Statutes were put to a vote, and he asked those present whether they had other propositions. Accordingly,

• The Association has 2 new Vice Presidents: Pógár László (30 abstentions, none voted against) and Bartha András (29 abstentions, 1 vote against), no one else was nominated.
• Csillag Levente, the former Vice President, was elected by the meeting to be the official responsible for finance – no one else was nominated for the post (29 abstentions, 1 vote against him).
• Ferencz Éva and Hegyeli Attila were nominated to be officials responsible for education. Hegyeli no longer assumed this post, highlighting in his speech that for the past almost 10 years he has been in charge of the Csango Educational Program, the results achieved with the help of his team in the field of education can be considered satisfactory in comparison to local circumstances, and that presently students receive education day after day in 21 settlements by comparison to zero at the beginning. In addition to teaching the Hungarian language, they also pay attention to the relearning/re-teaching of traditions, as well as the Hungarian language was also admitted as main subject in Rumanian-language (state) schools in 14 settlements during this period. At the same time, we currently have 75 students continuing their studies and 3 university students, who are advancing their studies in Csíkszereda (Miercurea-Ciuc), Székelyudvarhely (Odorheiu Secuiesc) and Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca) with scholarship help granted through the educational program. The former official responsible for education told that he wished the new management team made progress on this road. The method developed needs to be improved, but it is a proper method as regards its basic principles, and work must go on this way. We should never give up hope, since education and training must be organised in further 25-30 settlements. At the same time, the opportunity of learning the Hungarian language and of mastering Hungarian penmanship must be made available to additional 7,500 Csango children. Afterwards, the general meeting adopted Ferencz Éva to be the new official responsible for education with 28 abstentions, none voted against,.
• Farkas-Ferencz Endre was nominated to be the official responsible for culture, however, he stated that he would like to perform this duty together with the former official responsible for culture, and so he also nominated Nyisztor Ilona, and then Benke Pável was also put on the list of nominees. In his short speech, Benke expressed his discontent over the election of Ferencz Éva to be the official responsible for education, and then indicated that he did not wish to be nominated. Finally, those present elected Farkas-Ferencz Endre and Nyisztor Ilona to be officials jointly responsible for culture, and thus two persons will be in charge of this field in the coming 2 years (with 7 votes against and 29 abstentions).
• The newly elected President nominated Dr. Nyisztor Tinka to be the official responsible for religious matters, who formerly fulfilled this duty. She declared to assume the post but requested the representatives of the villages that this matter should be discussed also in other villages not only in Pusztina. There must be villages other than Pusztina where Csango people want to pray in Hungarian and Hungarian masses to be organised. They are encouraged to feel free to request it. In the absence of any other nominee, she was elected by the general meeting to be the official responsible for religious matters with 2 votes against and 30 abstentions.
• Solomon Adrián nominated Noghi Cretu Ana-Mariana to administer youth and social affairs, who accepted her nomination, and then Gyurka Valentin nominated himself to be head of youth affairs. Finally, the general meeting elected Gyurka Valentin with 19 votes against and 4 abstentions to be the official responsible for youth affairs, and Noghi Cretu Ana-Mariana will be our official responsible for social affairs in the coming 2 years, who was elected with 31 abstentions, none voted against.

Thereafter, Rozsnyai Sándor (attorney-at-law), Borbáth Erzsébet (retired school principal, Vice President of Domokos Pál Péter Foundation, specialist in Csango educational affairs, teacher of the Hungarian language and literature) and Ilyés Eszter (attorney-at-law) were elected to the Ethical Committee with 30 abstentions. No one else was nominated.

Three members required by law had to be elected to the Supervisory Board, no one else was nominated: Sipos Éva (former chairman of the Supervisory Board), Kedves Henrik and Sántha Judit experts were elected to be members of the Supervisory Board for the coming two years, with 19 abstentions.

The next item on the agenda was to introduce the motions on amending the Charter and to put it to a vote. The old and the new Charter were seen on the projection screen in tabular form (in the Rumanian language, in the form as it will be filed with the court for registration). The person chairing the meeting outlined each article and explained the reason why such amendments are necessary to be made. The general meeting adopted the motions on amendment submitted with 6 votes against and 30 abstentions. A small group of the members spoke out against the membership fee of 1 Lei, but the President explained that according to the draft, these amounts will remain and used at the local branch organisation to help the activities of the community.

After voting, Solomon Adrián stated that MCSMSZ door is open to everyone. We invite all well-intentioned people wishing to help to our offices, as well as the proposals of the members and others are warmly welcome. He said to tell the internal opposition group made itself conspicuous by abstentions at the general meeting that they should cooperate with the new executive board, they belong to the Association even if it appears that their propositions came to light in the previous months and weeks were rejected by a great proportion of the general meeting operating as the supreme decision-making body of the Association of Csango-Hungarians in Moldavia currently legitimately acting on behalf of the Csango Hungarians in Moldavia: the members coming from the villages decided to defend by the means of internal democracy the policy that has been characteristic of MCSMSZ activities so far. They want a politically independent Association, and they want that the programmes launched so far to be continued in the field of education, culture and social affairs. Notwithstanding, the President of the Alliance thinks further negotiations advisable, and together with the executive board he expects everyone to submit prudent and well-considered proposals for improvement.

In respect of the agenda item of Miscellaneous, the general meeting adopted Kostelek to become a branch organisation (they will have independent legal entity status but will continue to pursue their activities within the framework of MCSMSZ).

The newly elected executive board would like to thank for the confidence and presence of the members. Our supporters are also kindly requested to provide further assistance to help our work so that we are able to continue the programmes launched so far!

15 June 2009

Csilla Takács translated the article from a Hungarian language

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