Romanian MEP joins new ranks in EU parliament

Veteran Romanian MEP László Tokés has joined the European Free Alliance group in parliament.

The move, which was announced on Wednesday, takes the number of EFA members to six.

Tokés was elected last November as an independent representing the Hungarian community in Romania and is well known for being a strong critic of the Ceausescu regime.

The EFA is aligned to the Greens, the fourth-largest political group in the assembly.

Tokés is widely seen as having played a key role in the democratic transformation of central Europe.

At a news conference to announce the move, Tokés took a swipe at the Romanian Democratic Liberal Party which, he said, had “exported their anti-Hungarian prejudices to the European parliament”.

He went on, “Through their subversive and hostile behaviour they have managed to apply their discriminative and anti-minority politics against me.”

Tokés, bishop of the Reformed Church in Oradea since 1990, said this was a matter of “real regret”.

But he added, “I continue to remain of the opinion that all 35 elected MEPs of our country should jointly represent the interests of Romania, including those of the Hungarian minority, in this parliament.”

He said he was attracted to the EFA because of its support for “stateless nations, regions and discriminated national minorities”.

Its “commitment to protect the environment” was another factor in his decision, he said.

The move was welcomed by the leader of the EFA in parliament, Ian Hudghton, and Nellie Maes, who leads the EFA political party.

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