Hungary's government on Friday condemned provocative comments by Romania's prime minister about the autonomy efforts by Szeklers, a group of ethnic Hungarians in Romania. Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Tudose said Wednesday on Realitatea TV that "if the Szekler flag flies on institutions there, they'll all fly next to the flag." In Hungary, the comments were taken to mean that they should be hanged. Tudose "practically threatened a national minority and its representatives with execution," Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. Tudose's comments will likely strain relations between his governing left-wing coalition and the main party representing the interests of ethnic Hungarians in Romania, which formally supports the ruling coalition.

Source: ABC News January 12, 2018 11:25 UTC