Bilingual Village Signs Removed in Romania, Sparking Protest

Hungary Today 2025.07.16.

Entrance to Sânmartinu Maghiar in 2012 and 2023

Bilingual signs at the entrance to the villages of Sânmartinu Maghiar (Magyarszentmárton) and Sânmartinu Sârbesc (Szerbszentmárton) have been replaced, with the Romanian-Hungarian and Romanian-Serbian signs replaced by Romanian-only signs, Maszol reported.

One of the most influential local Facebook pages, Banatul de altădată (The Old Banat), drew attention to the situation and lodged a protest with the Timiș County Prefecture. They write that the scope of the protest is to protect the Hungarian and Serbian communities, and that the use of bilingual signs is required by law.

Out of respect for the Hungarian and Serbian communities, I believe that the names of the villages should be displayed in both languages again! There are positive examples in the Banat region, such as the village of Cenei (Csene), where the Serbian name appears alongside the Romanian name. Above all, the Banat region is multi-ethnic!”

they wrote in their Facebook post.

Fact

The Banat region, once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, has been home for centuries to diverse ethnic communities including Romanians, Hungarians, Serbs, and Germans. This multicultural heritage shaped local traditions such as bilingual and even trilingual place name signs, minority language schools, and religious institutions serving multiple communities.

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Via Maszol; Featured photo: Facebook/Banatul de altădată