German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared, on Saturday, during the meeting of the leaders of the Party of European Socialists (PES), organized at the Palace of the Parliament, that “PSD's achievements are the witness of strong social democratic policies in Romania today”. Scholz stated that Germany and Romania are linked by a close friendship, underlining the challenges we face together, referring to Russia's war in Ukraine and the support offered by our country to the neighboring state affected by these fights, given on its territory.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, at the PES meeting Photo: Screenshot
“Dear comrades and friends, dear Marcel, it is a pleasure to be in Bucharest and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you. It is a good and strong sign of the vibrant democracy in Romania, the fact that we social democrats can meet here today at the Palace of the Parliament, built in the era of Ceaușescu. Its history is related to the lack of freedom and democracies of those difficult times. But the fact that we are here is a testimony to the triumph of democracy over the terrible times of dictatorship. Friends of the PSD, you have gone through difficult times, but this will not stop you from making decisions based on a sense of responsibility towards your country. Increasing pensions, reducing taxes for those on low incomes, supporting families with children and raising the minimum wage. PSD achievements are the witness of strong social democratic policies in Romania today! Thanks Marcel! Thank you to everyone present herei”, said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that “Germany and Romania are linked by a close friendship”arguing that this aspect can be seen in the challenges we face together, referring to Russia's war in Ukraine, and the support given by our country to the neighboring people, which has been badly affected in the last two years.
“This is especially evident when we face the challenges of our times together. The largest country in Europe attacked the second largest country in the continent for no reason. We are all here today, 200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and to be very clear, we cannot change borders by violence, it is the main pillar of the political order, a principle established by social democrats like Willy Brandt, it is our heritage and we must to defend it. Security is not everything, but without security nothing is everything (…) I am grateful for the role played by Romania for the security of Europe. Your country's contribution as the main contributor to the multinational brigade in which we closely cooperate strengthens the security of NATO's south-eastern flank and the security of Europe as a whole. In the last 17 years, Romania has been a proud and important member of the European Union. This decision, finally taken to welcome Romania to the common Schengen space, finally happened, late, but fully deserved. My party, the SPD, has always supported Romania's access to the Schengen area. There are no first class or second class member states of the Union. We are all a united Europe”, said Olaf Scholz.
The German chancellor noted that at the last party meeting held a month ago in Rome, he said that “the war in Ukraine will stop when President Putin decides to withdraw his troops, but he will make this decision only if he realizes that he cannot win the war on the battlefield, that he cannot dictate an unjust peace, that the time is not his side“. “Therefore, our support for Ukraine is essential to supporting peace in Europe. Germany is the second largest supporter after the United States. We have allocated 28 billion euros only in military support and I am grateful to partners, such as Romania, who are doing everything possible to help us”, Scholz added.
The Chancellor of Germany reiterated that from the very beginning it was emphasized that a war between Russia and NATO was not desired, stating that “the best way to prevent any escalation is effective deterrence”. “That is why we invest more in our own security, in our own defense, together as Europeans so that no one dares to attack us. This also means that we put aside our own interests and build a really strong European defense industry. This is a major task for the Union after the electionsScholz also said.
EU enlargement policy
Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that by strengthening Europe as a geopolitical actor, the use of the enlargement policy is also considered, “a powerful tool of our foreign policy“.
“Enlargement has always been and still is a driving force for democracy, peace and prosperity on our continent. Romania is one of the best examples in this regard. We achieved a new momentum in the accession process with the countries of the Western Balkans. Ukraine and Moldova opened accession negotiations in December, Georgia became a candidate country. Of course, these countries must meet the membership criteria, but the people of these countries share our common values and have every right to live in peace and freedom like us. That is why it is good that Romania is on our side when we have to insist with the accession process in the coming years. Of course, this must go hand in hand with internal reforms at the level of the Union. An enlarged European Union could not function with rules tailored for a much smaller Union”, said Olaf Scholz, adding that he is happy that a road map will be adopted in this regard by this summer and that a growing Europe will be able to respond better to the challenges of a world that will soon have 10 billion citizens.
The German chancellor also stated that economies in Asia are growing and that there is a need for “political will for development“.
“Projections show that by the middle of this century, countries in the global south can reach levels of economic development similar to countries in Europe or North America in the 50s. For that, if we use such outdated technologies, the world will no longer be a good place to live. That's why we need to have partnerships with countries in the southern part of the globe.
We have the technologies and the political will to help them prosper, to develop their economies, but in a more sustainable way than before. Of course, we must advance the economic transformation in our own countries. An essential aspect in this regard will be a banking and capital markets union. It may sound very technical, but ultimately it is about mobilizing a sufficient level of capital to finance the mobilization of our economies. Public funding alone will not be enough. The transition to climate-neutral societies is a huge change, perhaps the biggest since the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, and it certainly creates uncertainties for our citizens. Many wonder, will everything end well for me, for my family? In such times it is essential to protect our economy from the European market as a unique model in the world. We need a social Europe capable of protecting its citizens in times of crisis and when needed“, said Olaf Scholz, adding that this is supported by Nicolas Schmit, the PES candidate for the head of the European Commission.
The German chancellor also emphasized the need to protect what has been achieved in Europe, but also what is to be achieved in the future: “A united, solidary Europe that confronts autocracies and injustice, promoting peace and democracy in the world and for people”. “This is what we fight for togetherScholz added.
