A mayor of one of Romania’s most successful cities, is facing growing criticism that he has become too friendly with a nationalist party accused of Holocaust denial and promoting fascist leaders.
Tent
This week Emil Boc, mayor of the Transylvanian city of Cluj, allowed the Alliance for the Unity of all Romanians to put up a tent in his city to gather signatures in support of impeaching President Klaus Iohannis.
It raised eyebrows as the Liberal mayor and Mr. Iohannis are political allies.
Mr. Boc downplayed his role saying that constitutionally the party could not impeach the president merely through a petition.
However he recently said he shared some values with the nationalist AUR party which came fourth in 2020 parliamentary elections.
Holocaust
The party made headlines recently when it called the Holocaust “a minor subject.”
Last month Mr Boc granted an audience to AUR party leaders who were on a tour of Romanian cities. At the time, he justified the meeting, saying he was mayor of all residents regardless of their political preferences.
Prior to visiting Cluj, party leader George Simion and his supporters stormed the city hall in Timisoara and called for the mayor, who is German, to get out.
“Herr Fritz, don’t forget, Timişoara doesn’t belong to you!”they shouted. Mr. Boc didn’t comment on the incident.
Anti-establishment
The anti-establishment party is currently riding high in opinion polls and is in second place behind the Social Democratic Party, Romania’s biggest party.
An agronomist who has been proposed as AUR’s honorary president this week called pro-Hitler leader Marshal Ion Antonescu and another fascist leader “martyrs” and said they had been misrepresented in history books.
“We have many things in common such as we both support national values and the national interest.. in a Europe that is a concert of nations.
This doesn’t mean that national values and the national identity should disappear,” he said.
Mr. Boc, 55, has been the mayor of the city of Cluj since 2012. He served as prime minister from 2008 to 2012.
IT hub
Cluj is an IT hub and considered one of the most successful cities in Central Europe with an expanding economy and lively cultural scene.
