Speech of the Prime-minister of Romania on the occasion of the launching of the Romanian Presidency at the Council of the European Union - Hoofdinhoud

Mr. President Juncker,

Mr. President Tusk,

Mr. President Tajani,

Mr. President Iohannis,

Mr. President of the Senate

Mr. Vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies,

Esteemed guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have the honor and joy to bid you welcome to Bucharest today!

I thank you for your presence at this event where we mark an important moment for Romania: the launching of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

For me, this is a particular emotional moment, because, today, in this very special situation for my country, I have the honor to speak of the behalf of my compatriots.

I have the honor to speak on the behalf of Romania, which for six months, starting today, will sit with dignity at the table where important decisions of the EU are taken.

Today, Romanians are represented within the Presidency at the Council of the EU and hold a well-deserved place in Europe, the place where it receives the same respect, the same rights and the same benefits that all other European citizens enjoy.

With this thought in mind I will represent my country and my compatriots in the following six months.

Romania will lead the Council of the EU with dignity.

I see that today here we have some of the architects of the European integration, some of those that have contributed to the appropriation by Romania of the community values and. Acquis.

I sincerely and gratefully them for their contribution.

Looking back, I believe that the most important step of our integration was accomplished when the Romanian people adopted, by referendum, the current Constitution of Romania. That was the starting line from which our integration truly started.

At that time an act of will of the Romanian people to place in order to align and appropriate the values and principles of the European Union. The Constitution adopted then and which governs today the rule of law in Romania is the most powerful guarantee that our nation started the irreversible path of European integration.

The Constitution is our most important European benchmark, drafted with the agreement of our European partners and has represented the starting line in the Euro-Atlantic integration process.

Today we can say with full conviction that all that is European is constitutional, and in equal measure everything that is constitutional is in full agreement with European values and principles.

This Constitution tells us today, that at the moment of the Presidency takeover, that the Romanian Government has the duty to manage European files together with the Council of European Union.

As the Prime Minister of Romania I honorably and with dignity assume this high responsibility in front of you and its over 500 million European citizens.

We will demonstrate the fact that Romania has fully earned the position of member state with full rights of the European Union. We will demonstrate that, Romania deserves the respect of the European Community and the status of equal partner in the great European Construct.

We will demonstrate that, Romania is fully prepared to hold its head up high, among all other member states.

And we will show that Romania is well prepared to manage the important files on the European Agenda and will be and impartial mediator, which can generate consensus at European level.

Therefore I want to say to all Romanians and our European partner the same message: „Dare to believe in Romania! Dare to believe in Romanian`s capacity to live with honor the Council of the European Union.”

Today, more than ever, we can demonstrate that the Romanian people is truly an European people, attached to the values and aspirations from the Community space.

And I want to say to our partners, that the Romanians have been, and will be a pro-European people. We have not changed our pro-European option and I see no reason to change it in the future.

To the contrary, we want to actively participate in major decisions of the Union and look today we are beginning to do so!

We want to be equal and respected partners in the European Union and Romania today is seating at the table where the future of the Union is discussed and decided!

We want Romania, together with all other European states, to enjoy the same benefits that this grandiose project of a strong and united Europe and look today, Romania`s Presidency at the Council of the Union is starting under the sign of strengthening cohesion under the member states!

Cohesion and unity represent our vision of the leadership of the Union!

I guarantee that the ministers of the government that I lead will manage with all the seriousness the vital files for the present and future of the Union.

We are also at the same time fully of the challenges that we are faced with.

We do not minimize them, but we also do not exaggerate them.

We will treat them with the same seriousness and will answer them with realism and determination.

Ladies and Gentleman,

I am addressing you today, as Prime Minister of the state for which joining the European Unit has represented the fulfillment of a national aspiration. The democratic system, the economic development and the safety that Romania enjoys today are the tangible result of that path.

The European Path was and will remain our choice, and at the same time we are fully aware of the irreversible of the path that we have begun. Our Future is always in front not behind! Therefore we are moving forward on the European path that we have started!

At the same time however we must never forget where we have started from. It is a valid imperative of all Member states of the EU. Let us all remember the ideals, the principles and the values on which the EU project was built. We have started from the condition that together we will be truly stronger on the world stage and that the national interest will be fulfilled to a larger extent within the Union than outside of it.

If we want the Union to move forward then we must all move forward! Nobody can be left behind!

If we want the Union to be stronger, then all the Member states must be strong, and the weak must be help to become strong.

And if we want the EU to be respected on the world stage, then we firstly must respect ourselves and realize that each member state has a certain contribution to the value of the whole Union.

And we are not few those that wish for a more united Europe. The President of the EC Jean Claude Juncker, stated in the White Paper on the Future of the Union that as we establish the direction towards we want go to, we must always remind ourselves that the moments in which Europe was in its best shape were those where we showed unity, courage, and conviction that we can have a future together.

This is also our version for which we want during the mandate of our Presidency the EU to walk with the same rhythm and pace!

We will support firstly those decisions that will be above political differences, above national varieties, above development differences and which can contribute to the strengthening to the cohesion among member states.

We will promote that which unites us and we will restrict what divides us.

I honestly wish that after our mandate at the Presidency of the EU Council, the EU will be stronger, more united and more solidary.

This is the spirit if the EU. This is the vision that Romania will follow through in the six months that it will hold the Presidency of the EU.

Finally, I once again thank to the European Council and the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, to the European Commission, the European Parliament and to the former rotating presidencies for the fruitful collaboration that has allowed us to prepare properly for the moment. I am convinced that the unity is the key to power, and I invite you all to continue working together for a Successful Presidency of Romania at the EU Council!

Thank you.