#Romania2019.eu/Dancila: Romania will lead the Council of the EU with dignity

UPDATED 22:53

Bucharest, Jan 10 /Agerpres/ - Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said, on Thursday, that Romania will lead the Council of the EU with dignity.

"Today, Romanians are glad we are holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU, they occupy their deserved place in Europe, the place where they should receive the same respect, the same rights and the same benefits that are enjoyed by the European citizens. With this in mind, I will represent my country and my fellow citizens in the next six months. Romania will lead the Council of the EU with dignity," said Dancila at the official ceremony on the inauguration of the Romanian Presidency at the Council of the European Union.

The Prime Minister noted that the event is attended by part of the "architects" of the European integration of Romania and thanked them for their contribution. Furthermore, she emphasized that the adoption by referendum of the current Constitution of Romania was the starting point of the European integration process of the country.

"Looking back I believe that the most important step of our integration was when the Romanian people adopted by referendum the current Constitution of Romania. This is the starting point from which our integration truly began. It represented the act of the Romanian people that desired to align to and to assimilate 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 country started on the irreversible journey of European integration. The Constitution is our most important European example as it was devised in agreement with our European partners and represented the starting point in the Euro-Atlantic integration process. Today we can say with conviction that what is European is also constitutional, and, in equal measure, what is constitutional is in full agreement with the European principles and values. (...) We will prove that Romania has earned fully the role and 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 construction, we will prove that Romania is fully prepared to hold its head high with all the other member-states," Dancila said.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister stated that the Government in Bucharest is well prepared to manage the important dossiers on the European agenda and to be an impartial mediator that can generate consensus at the European level.

"I say, thus, to all Romanians and our European partners the same message: dare to believe in Romania, dare to believe in Romania's capacity to lead with uprightness and honor the Council of the European Union. Today, more than ever, we can prove that the Romanian people is a people that is truly European, attached to the values and aspirations of the community space and I want to say to our European partners that Romanians have been, are and will remain a pro-European people. We did not change our pro-European option and I see no reason to change in the future. On the contrary, we desire to participate actively in the major decisions of the Union and, thus, today, we are starting to do that. We wish to be equal partners and respected in the EU and, behold, today Romania sits at the table where the future of the European Union is discussed and decided. (...) Today, the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the Union starts under the banner of cohesion between member-states. Cohesion and unity represent our vision at the helm of the Union. I guarantee you that the ministers of the Government that I am running will manage with full seriousness the vital dossiers for the present and future of the European Union," Dancila mentioned.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the "democratic system, the economic development and the safety Romania now enjoys are tangible results" of the European path.

"Nobody can be left behind. If we want the Union to be stronger, then all member-states must be strong, and the weak must be helped to become stronger, and if we want the Union to be respected internationally then we must, firstly, respect each other and admit that each member-state has a certain contribution to the value of the entire Union," Dancila declared.

The Prime Minister thanked the European institutions for the collaboration in preparing the Romanian Presidency and added that she wishes, sincerely, "that after our mandate at the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the European Union will be more united, more solid and more solidary. This is the spirit of the EU, this is the vision that Romania will have in the six months it will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU." AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Marius Fratila; EN - editor: Razvan-Adrian Pandea)