Romania: Information on the Liberal Monarchist Party of Romania and whether its members are subject to harassment by the Romanian authorities
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 August 1996 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ROM24802.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Romania: Information on the Liberal Monarchist Party of Romania and whether its members are subject to harassment by the Romanian authorities, 1 August 1996, ROM24802.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abc726.html [accessed 4 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to Europa 1995 and Political Handbook of the World 1994-95, the Liberal Monarchist Party of Romania was founded in 1990 and advocates the restoration of the Romanian monarchy (1995, 2552; 1994, 725); the Party also reportedly believes exiled King Mihai (Michael) Hohenzollern is legally still king (The Observer 21 Apr. 1996). Information on harassment of the party's members by the Romanian authorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.
The following information on Romania's exiled King Michael and pro-monarchist elements in Romania may, however, be of interest. King Michael enjoys significant popularity and influence in Romania, and drew crowds of more than one million when he visited the country in 1992 (Transition 17 Nov. 1995, 4; Reuters 9 May 1996). In 1994, when he attempted to visit again, he was refused entry at the airport (ibid.). Reports indicate that he has since been denied entry to the country until he renounces historical claims (OMRI 11 May 1995; Reuters 9 May 1996).
On 14 November 1995 King Michael's wife attended the funeral of a political leader in Bucharest and was hailed by a crowd shouting pro-monarchist greetings. On 8 November 1995 about 3,000 people gathered again in Bucharest for an anti-Iliescu demonstration, and waved flags bearing the insignia of the Romanian monarchy and portraits of King Michael; the exiled king also spoke to the crowd on a local radio station (OMRI 15 Nov. 1995; ibid. 9 Nov. 1995). Earlier in the year, in June, 5,000 people bearing monarchist and anti-government placards gathered in Bucharest to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the events of June 1990 (ODR 30 Oct. 1995, 7). Reports do not indicate whether participants in the above gatherings were subject to harassment by the Romanian authorities. In May 1995, however, 6,000 people marched in Bucharest calling for the restoration of the Romanian monarchy, and riot police allegedly prevented the demonstrators, who were shouting pro-monarchy and anti-presidential slogans, from holding a religious ceremony to honour victims of communism (OMRI 11 May 1995).
The United States Department of State indicated in March 1996 that pro-monarchist sentiments were not being repressed, and that pro-monarchy newspapers and parties "function without hindrance" (OAA Mar. 1996, 5). Finally, mention of the Anti-Monarchist and Pro-Republican Party, which apparently has few members, is made in a report of August 1995 (OMRI 23 Aug. 1995).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Office of Asylum Affairs (OAA), Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. March 1996. Romania - Profile of Asylum Claims & Country Conditions. Washington, DC: United States Department of State.
The Observer [London]. 21 April 1996. "Heads or Tails: Europe's Ruling or Exiled Royals." (NEXIS)
Office fédéral des réfugiés (ODR), Berne. 30 October 1995. Roumanie: Chronologie.
Open Media Research Institute (OMRI) Daily Digest [Prague]. 15 November 1995. Dan Ionescu. "Romanian Opposition Leader's Funeral Draws Huge Crowds." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)
_____. 9 November 1995. Matyas Szabo. "Pro-Monarchy Demonstration in Bucharest." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)
_____. 23 August 1995. Michael Shafir. "Romanian National Bloc Enlarged." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)
_____. 11 May 1995. Dan Ionescu. "Pro-Monarchy Demonstration in Bucharest." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)
Reuters. 9 May 1996. BC Cycle. Peter Bale. "Romania's Ex-King Steps into Political Minefield." (NEXIS)
Transition: Events and Issues in the Former Soviet Union and East-Central and Southeastern Europe [Prague]. 17 November 1995. Vol. 1, No. 21. "Romania: Princely Pretensions."
Attachments
Office of Asylum Affairs (OAA), Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. March 1996. Romania - Profile of Asylum Claims & Country Conditions. Washington, DC: United States Department of State, p. 5.
The Observer [London]. 21 April 1996. "Heads or Tails: Europe's Ruling or Exiled Royals." (NEXIS)
Office fédéral des réfugiés (ODR), Berne. 30 October 1995. Roumanie: Chronologie, p. 7.
Open Media Research Institute (OMRI) Daily Digest [Prague]. 15 November 1995. Dan Ionescu. "Romanian Opposition Leader's Funeral Draws Huge Crowds." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search.http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)
_____. 9 November 1995. Matyas Szabo. "Pro-Monarchy Demonstration in Bucharest." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)
_____. 23 August 1995. Michael Shafir. "Romanian National Bloc Enlarged." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)
_____. 11 May 1995. Dan Ionescu. "Pro-Monarchy Demonstration in Bucharest." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)
Reuters. 9 May 1996. BC Cycle. Peter Bale. "Romania's Ex-King Steps into Political Minefield." (NEXIS)
Transition: Events and Issues in the Former Soviet Union and East-Central and Southeastern Europe [Prague]. 17 November 1995. Vol. 1, No. 21. "Romania: Princely Pretensions," pp. 3-4.
