Úz Valley: the anatomy of a conflict – Part III

This is the story of how an unsolved border dispute between two settlements (Csíkszentmárton / Sânmartin Ciuc and Dărmănești) turned abruptly for the worse when the mayor of Dărmănești took unilateral action based on questionable documents. It shows how ethnic conflict in the region can provoke tensions that then lead to irreversible impact on both the Hungarian and Romanian communities. The series of events also raises troubling questions about double standards in the Romanian judicial system. 

Darmanești hijacks the land administered by Csíkszentmárton

On January 29, 2019, Csíkszentmárton’s Mayor notifies the Harghita County prefect about the actions Dărmănești is preparing; that is, to attach the Úz Valley settlement to the city of Dărmănești, an action they consider illegal, as that settlement was part of Csíkszentmárton. Although there are no visible signs of progress in the “rehabilitation works” on March 29, 2019, the Dărmănești local council makes a major move: it changes the status of the Úz Valley cemetery from private domain to public domain.

READ MORE