The relationship with the United States is the dimension in which Europe must continue to invest the most in terms of partnerships, President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday upon receiving the the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen for the Unity of Europe.
"Among partnerships, the EU-US relationship certainly remains the piece of resistance and the dimension in which Europe must continue to invest the most. Europe needs the continuation of the US commitment to ensure its security, stability and common prosperity, just as the United States needs a strong Europe, capable of managing crises in its neighborhood," Iohannis said.
He affirmed that the United States and the European Union remain "the cornerstones of global democracy."
"A genuine democracy cannot manifest itself without the capacity of the citizen, of the new generations of European citizens, to participate in the public sphere, to make their voice heard. This capacity must be formed through European education, so as to provide opportunities for all to develop critical thinking, to develop resistance to manipulation, misinformation or propaganda. I believe that there is room for reflection on the way tools such as Erasmus+ can be used more effectively to respond to the need for education in order to develop critical thinking regarding the risks associated with informational aggression, but also for strengthening participation in democratic processes," Iohannis also declared.
According to him, even if young people must remain the priority group in this endeavor, it would be extremely useful if these efforts related to democracy and citizenship become part of lifelong learning plans.
On the other hand, he appreciated that for Romania the accession to the European Union meant "returning to the family" with which it shared the same values and principles, Agerpres.ro informs.
In his opinion, freedom of speech and democratic values are cherished by Romanians precisely because they have lived for decades in a society in which freedom of expression was not possible.
"For us, the European project is a political, economic and social project that has enhanced Romania's modernization. In our turn, today we make an important contribution to the European construction. Supporting the European project, avoiding divisions, getting involved in EU decision-making represent an intrinsic dimension of the deeply pro-European profile of Romania. The spirit of the Sibiu Declaration of May 9, 2019, the spirit of Sibiu - fully demonstrates this profile. This award reminds me of the value of the European Union for the Member States, for the citizens and for the history of this continent. We have the duty to consolidate this project, which remains the only viable option for a democratic, prosperous and stable Europe," Iohannis added.