Nicușor Dan had a surprise appearance on Saturday morning at Cotroceni to deliver a message for Europe Day. On this occasion, the president emphasized the advantages our country has gained by joining the EU, especially the increase in salaries over the past 20 years.
However, Nicușor Dan believes that we need to move beyond slogans because Europe has also made mistakes, and Romania has often been weak in the EU and failed to defend its objectives. Additionally, the head of state says that the EU and Romania still need a fair partnership with the US.
Regarding the current political crisis in our country, the president confirmed that he has completed the first round of informal consultations, which were also confidential. Each party expressed their "constraints," and "discussions will continue on these scenarios." Nicușor Dan remains convinced that Romania will have a pro-Western government within a reasonable timeframe.
It is worth noting that Nicușor Dan canceled the Europe Day reception to focus on government negotiations.
Europe's Mistakes
"The European Union has primarily meant peace in Europe, and peace brings prosperity, and peace is not self-evident, as we see in the war happening near us.
For Romania, 20 years of European Union membership have meant modernization and, above all, an increase in the standard of living. The average salary has tripled and now stands at 80% of the EU average salaries."
It is true that in Romania, the wage gap between high and low salaries is greater than in other places in Europe. And it is true that there is corruption that challenges Romanians, especially those with low incomes. However, if we look at the big picture, after 20 years, Romanians are much better off than they were 20 years ago," declared the head of state.
The president, however, maintained that we need to move beyond slogans because Europe has also made mistakes:
- When it abandoned nuclear energy and relied on cheap gas from Russia, that was a mistake.
- When it neglected its defense industry, it was a mistake.
- When, in environmental policy, justified as it may be, it set overly ambitious targets, it affected heavy industry, and that was a mistake.
- When it acted ideologically on several issues, it was a mistake.
Nevertheless, Europe is still a democratic construction, and the president believes that all these errors "are an opportunity for debate with all the cards on the table within European institutions." Nicușor Dan regrets that "this type of very strong internal debates are reflected far too little in the Romanian media."
Romania Has Often Been Weak in the EU
- It is true that Romania has often been weak within the EU.
- Romania has not consistently defended its objectives. Because, once again, it is political. It is not a literary society.
- Within the EU, European countries promote their national interests.
- We are at a point where Romania is credible. It knows how to act within the EU, knows how to form alliances to support its policies, and therefore knows how to defend its interests as other countries in the Union do.
- So to say that Romanian leaders go to European leaders to receive orders is just a slogan that distracts us from the real debate - where Romania should stand in the EU.
- Europe and Romania need the EU to have a fair, solid, and equitable partnership with the US. And Romania supports such a partnership.
- In terms of foreign policy, Moldova's accession to the EU is an important objective for Romania, and we will continue to work towards Moldova's EU integration.
No Stress Related to the Political Crisis
Furthermore, the president appears relaxed about the political crisis situation after having initial meetings with the leaders of the dissolved coalition parties:
- We have concluded an initial set of meetings with leaders of pro-Western parties, representatives of national minorities.
- During this occasion, we have seen the constraints that each party brings to the negotiating table. Therefore, there are scenarios that we will further focus on, and discussions will continue on these scenarios.
- I reaffirm: Romania will have a pro-Western government within a reasonable timeframe.
- There is agreement on major policies, OECD, SAFE, PNRR; there is agreement on Romania's fiscal trajectory, assumed, and in this sense, the government to come will aim to define and propose the budget for 2027 to Parliament by autumn.
- Happy Europe Day!
- Happy Romania Day!