Hungarian govt. finances two football teams in Romania

The Hungarian government has offered over EUR 6 million worth of financing to two football clubs in Romania, Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe and Csikszereda from Miercurea Ciuc. The Hungarian government answered an inquiry from Romanian sports newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor saying that the two clubs have received financing worth HUB 1 billion (EUR 3.2 million) each for developing their sports infrastructure and their football academies. The investments have already produced effects. Sepsi promoted to the top football leagues in Romania last year and is currently fighting for getting in the play-off. The other club, Csikszereda, currently plays in the third league, but it produced a big surprise in Romania’s Cup, where it eliminated Dinamo Bucharest in the last 16 round and qualified to the quarter finals. The two teams represent the counties of Harghita and Covasna, which are part of the so-called Szeklerland, a region in central Romania inhabited mainly by Hungarians, which is trying to get autonomy. The Hungarian government has also been supporting Hungarian language media in the region and prime minister Viktor Orban has been coming each year to a summer camp in Tusnad. Romanian deputy PM says football should be a public service like water and sewage editor@romania-insider.com (Photo source: Sepsi OSK Facebook page)