The head of the Senate and the president of the PNL, Nicolae Ciucă, emphasized during the event dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the NATO accession that it is time to open another historical chapter, warning at the same time that the battle of these years is between democracy and authoritarianism.
The head of the Senate emphasized the current geopolitical context PHOTO Inquam
“Romania is a safe country! Yes – we say this today thanks to the Romanian Army and thanks to the Alliance we joined 20 years ago. This is one of the greatest achievements that Romania has made in recent decades. Romania showed the whole world how a country that went through decades of communism and a difficult transition managed to transform into a consolidated democracy and a reliable NATO ally”, said the former prime minister, pointing out that “in Romania's post-communist path, there have so far been two major stages in relation to NATO membership – one of transition and aspiration for membership, before April 2, 2004; the second to consolidate the position of a member state of the Alliance in the 20 years that have passed since then.
The head of the Senate also showed that “joining NATO was not our destination”, but “it was a beginning for us”.
“The beginning of the transformation and the effort of the whole society to become better and fairer. I feel proud when I look back at the last 20 years and see the significant differences, which are also due to the effort of tens of thousands of people, of which I had the honor to be a part. Our country started on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration, immediately after 1990, with tireless determination. We were the first to sign the Partnership for Peace in 1994. And when it was necessary, we did not hesitate to participate with troops in the theaters of operations alongside the allies”, Ciucă also said.
The former prime minister also showed that, “after entering the North Atlantic Alliance, Romania assumed ambitious objectives. Our country did not remain a mere beneficiary, but became a source of security in the region, an essential pillar of the North Atlantic Alliance on the Black Sea” and it was “among the first Alliance states to commit to allocating 2% of GDP to Defense and keep the promise made at the Wales Summit in 2014“.
“Today, we are at a time when democracy needs a strong North Atlantic Alliance. Romania is in the front line of support for Ukraine. Only a few hundred kilometers from where we are, Russian bombs fall on houses, on schools, on markets killing innocent people”Ciucă also said, emphasizing that, “if we want peace to return to our continent, if we want to leave future generations a safer world based on respect for international rules, we have a duty to support Ukraine in winning the war against Russia”.
“With the 20th anniversary of NATO, Romania completes a stage. It is time to open another historical chapter. Romania needs a new country project, which will respond to the challenges of the present and define the future. We have to ask ourselves: what do we want Romania to look like in 10 or 20 years? Within this country project, we can think of the next 10 years as a “decade of safety” for Romania and Romanians. I do not include here only the increase in defense capability and investment in the defense industry, but all the elements that make a strong society.” Nicolae Ciucă also said.
According to the Liberal leader, “The Romania of the future is one with solid democratic institutions, capable of providing security at the level of the entire society”But and “a pole of energy independence, excels in innovation and technology, emphasizes education and combating disinformation and above all invests in people and their potential”.
“The battle of these years is one between democracy and authoritarianism, between a world order based on principles and rules, on the one hand, and those who want to change it by force, on the other.” Ciucă also said.
