This Saturday, 9 May 2015, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania attended the reception organised by the Presidency of Romania at Cotroceni Palace on the occasion of the Europe Day. The day of 9 May has multiple significances for Romania. This year it is 65 years since laying the foundations of the European Union, 70 years since the end of the World War II, and 138 years since the proclamation of Romania’s state independence.
His Excellency Mr Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania underlined in the discourse delivered on the occasion the importance of the consolidation and extension of the European Union. The President has also spoken about Romania’s present role in this structure. “We must keep on extending the Union because we shall be stronger in this way. Today’s Romania is not only a state deeply attached to the values defining the European Union but also a strong supporter of deepening the process of European integration. Romania is a source of stability and democracy in a complicated region, a partner engaged in sustaining the lawful state, defending the basic freedom and promoting the market economy. After more than eight years since affiliation we can affirm that we took an irreversible way and covered several stages, but the process of integration has not been achieved yet. I am sure that soon we shall make significant steps to become members of the Schengen space. The adoption of Euro unique coin is certainly the most important country project after Romania’s affiliation to the European Union” the President of Romania underlined. Representatives of the religious cults of our country, former state leaders Ion Iliescu and Emil Constantinescu, the Prime Minister of Romania, Mr. Viorel Ponta, representatives of the central authorities, and other personalities were present.
On 9 May 1950, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs of the time, Robert Schuman, proposed to create an over national structure able to provide stability and peace in post war Europe, as well as economical prosperity. Thus, the European Community of Coal and Steel was created, a structure that little by little changed into what the European Union is today. Romania has been a European Union member since 2007.
