IMRE BORBELY IS ONE OF the most prominent representatives of the Hungarian Democratic Federation of Romania’s (UDMR) “radical” (some would call it extremist) faction. Unlike the UMDR “moderates,” the radicals do not believe their organization should adapt its policies to accommodate the realities of the Romanian political scene, where there is little inclination to meet the Hungarian demand for autonomy and where mutual suspicion dominates interethnic relations. The following statement, which is condensed from an interview that Michael Shafir conducted with Borbely in Bucharest in June, outlines Borbely’s views on the status of the Hungarian minority in Romania and its prospects for dialogue with the ruling government.
