Joint International Conference on Long-term Experiments ...

2.2. Oradea-Debrecen the next urban cross-border agglomeration 5
Although the historical evolution of the two cities has been different, the
complementarity of these two future attraction poles is obvious: on one hand, Oradea is
mentioned in a 1113 document as a fortress set in a marshy area and it evolves
spatiotemporally under the ruling of its political-administrative function, and Debrecen
on the other hand, of a similar age, renowned economical centre.
After 1920, along with the delimitation of state frontiers, the two cities suffered a
slight syncope in the evolution of their interdependence relations, each of them
belonging to its own decisional centre. The functionality of the urban system revitalized
after 1990 through a cultural convergence (university exchange programs, both cities
endowed with renowned and very dynamic Universities) as well as a business related
one.
Nowadays the two centres represent the pillars of a future cross-border urban axis
grafted on the two metropolitan areas: Oradea (the city of Oradea and the administrative
territory of the adjoining villages – Biharia, Bors, Cetariu, Paleu, Nojorid, Oşorhei,
Sânmartin and Sântandrei), with a population of over 250 000 inhabitants (out of which
the largest part is located in Oradea – about 87%) and Debrecen (with a population just
over 200 000 inhabitants), which would spread over about 75 kms on the Oradea –
Biharkeresytes – Berettyóújfalú – Derecske – Debrecen axis (Săgeată R. et. al., 2004,
Ilieş Al., 2004).
3. THE JURIDICAL-INSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND REGARDING REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE BIHOR – HAJDÚ-BIHAR EUROREGION. OBJECTIVES
Because Euroregions represent frontier cooperation structures, which contribute not to
regional isolation but to regional development (Ghidul U.E., 2004), both states have
adopted the Convention of Madrid (May 21, 1980) regarding cross-border cooperation
between territorial communities and authorities. Moreover, they are both part of the
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Strasbourg, Oct. 15, 1985). In order to
render functional the settlements comprised in these two European acts, the legislative
step made by both countries was the adoption of two national laws concerning local
administration (Law no. 215/2001 – Romania and Law no. XXI/1996 - Hungary).
With regard to the legislative and statutory aspects, the two laws are compatible, in
the sense that they both designate the authorities, communities and organisms playing a
role in exercising regional functions as the local and county’s Council (for the
Romanian side) and the county’s and town hall’s local self-government (for the
Hungarian side). We must mention here that only the typology of the two laws is
different, as the understanding of the settlement is identical.
In accordance with Article 2, paragraph 1 of the Euroregion’s Constitution
Agreement, “the cross-border cooperation is exercised by the qualified territorial
collectivities and authorities, as they are defined in the internal law.”
5 This model is currently in the phase of research project initiated by the “Forum”
Foundation from Oradea, with the participation of the University of Oradea and
University of Debrecen, Thinking the future together. The Debrecen-Oradea Crossborder
Agglomeration (2020).
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