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Leaders representing the largest national minority in Romania, the 1.2 million-strong ethnic Hungarian community, will visit Washington D.C. from November 27 to December 1 at the invitation of the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation. 

Hunor Kelemen, President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), former Deputy Prime Minister of Romania and Member of the Romanian Parliament will meet with Members of Congress, the Administration, and other policy makers to discuss a wide range of domestic and regional issues, A voice for  Euro-Atlantic integration, the rule of law and tolerance, RMDSZ has a proven record of promoting U.S. values and foreign policy objectives in the region. For over three decades, RMDSZ has played a key role in providing stability in Romania as part of six, both right and left-leaning governing coalitions since 1996.  

Mr. Kelemen will share his pragmatic, balanced and principled approach to, and perspectives on security, freedom, and prosperity in Eastern Europe. During his recent 2 ½ years in government, he successfully spearheaded efforts to address the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent war in Ukraine, working to mitigate the crises and foster economic growth.  

Loránt Vincze, RMDSZ’s Member of the European Parliament since 2019, Co-Chair of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Traditional Minorities and President of the Federal Union of National Minorities (FUEN) the largest umbrella organization for Europe’s national minorities (50 million people), will discuss the situation of national minorities in Europe, focusing on human rights violations and religious freedom concerns. He led the campaign behind the fifth European Citizens Initiative ever to succeed, the Minority SafePack. 

Top of their mind are rising extremism’s potential impact on the 2024 Romanian elections (presidential, parliamentary, and local), including the European Parliament elections, as well as ongoing human, minority, and religious rights violations and other language and educational challenges faced by the Hungarian community.  

Current RMDSZ elected officials number 30 Members of Parliament, two Members of the European Parliament, four county council presidents and over 200 mayors.