ABSTRACT: Another article on the assembly of members and sympathizers of the Radical Party living in Rumania, held in Poiana-Brasov, analyzing the debate which addressed the problems relative to the Rumanian political situation, connected also to the Radical party's activity, and international issues such as the relation between Europe and Rumania and the hypothesis of federalism.

(Mesagerul - Brasov, July 1992)

The meeting of the Radical Party was held on 27 and 28 June 1992 at the Hotel Ciucas of Poiana-Brasov. Seventy people, members and sympathizers of the party and a few MPS participated in the assembly.

The Radical Party is rooted in Italy, where it has lately lost part of its force and influence thanks also to a series of public scandals, such as the election of a porn star to Parliament.

The transnational character of the party should be achieved through the institution of a series of branches or coordination or information centres in various countries, especially in Eastern Europe. These are to pursue specific objectives for the political struggle such as the federalization of Europe, the creation of a United states of Europe, the struggle for the abolition of the death penalty, the clear-cut condemnation of violence, etc.

Clearly, considering the scenario of the participants, the discussion took place by developing topics on a vast sphere. This first meeting between members and sympathizers of the radical party represented the opportunity for a reorganization of the structures. Suggestions have been made, which were passed, to create an Association of Radicals in Timisoara and one in Bucharest, EURAS. After being legalized, the actions will be intensified precisely during the electoral campaign, by organizing a symposium to explore the attitude of the future MPs regarding the creation of a United States of Europe.

In the participants' perception, the Radical Party is a new party, which anticipates the transformations of the old continent, a party beyond the states, a transparty, non-violent, which each year suggests objectives for the solution of which all members are required to participate.

The participation in the elections was not suggested. The party allows any citizen to join, even if he/she is already a member of another political formation. According to the statements of the participants, some 50 Mps in Rumania are members of the radical party. They belong to almost all political formations and parliamentary groups.

Since this is the party of the future, it has been suggested by the participants to educate and involve the young. The most widely discussed problem was that of the federalization. Questions were asked on the ways in which the federalization of Europe is perceived by the party leader and in what form Rumania should enter the Union of European States. The internal federalization of Rumania, as it was analyzed by some participants, would be a risk at the moment, a situation which is incompatible with the Constitution of Rumania of a national unitarian state. Thus, any attempt to federalize the country would be a formula that would be favoured by the extremist Hungarian groups - some speakers said - and would do nothing but create a disservice to the integrity of Rumania. The existence of the coordination centre of the Radical Party in Budapest represented another occasion for a fiery debate, Olivier Dupuis, a members of the executive and editor-in-chief of the "Radical Letter" and a leader of the Budapest coor

dination centre, explained that in 1988, when the centre was set up, communism was in power in Rumania, In Budapest it was possible to find the logistic support to divulge the material printed in Rome in nine states of central and eastern Europe, and that other technical facilities were available in Budapest.

The problem of the coordination centre in Budapest created discussion, and the the act that some refused to have contacts with the Radical party because of this was perceived by some as the pursuit of specific interests.

To eliminate this suspicion, it was decided to establish a coordination centre in Bucharest. At the end of conference, two documents were drawn up for the Rumanian and international public opinion, and a declaration for the press on the current situation of the radical movement. The news of this kind of party, the novelty with the respect to the national political formation and the objectives of the Transnational radical party will be explained hy Olivier Dupuis in an interview to be published in the next few days.

Translator's notes

(*) DUPUIS OLIVIER. (1958). Belgian conscientious objector, surrendered himself to the Belgian justice system and served an 11-month sentence in the prison of Saint Gilles. Worked at the French-speaking edition of "Radical News". Organized and participated in nonviolent and antitotalitarian demonstrations in the countries of Eastern Europe, and was for this reason expelled from Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. Currently coordinates the party's activities in Rumania and Hungary. Works at the project on the "New Party".