MFA responded on Tuesday to statements by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who criticized the statements by Jean Claude Juncker about the Centenary. The MFA shows that it denies attempts to criticize the legitimate and courageous actions that led to the formation of United Romania.

“The Foreign Affairs Ministry welcomes the statements of the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, on the Centenary of the Great Union and on the significance of the 1st of December for the Romanian people, made in the plenary of the European Parliament on 23 October, during the debate on the future of Europe. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appreciates that this message reconfirms the confidence and appreciation at European level of the Romanian state, which has taken substantial measures for the benefit of persons belonging to national minorities in the course of time corresponding to the highest standards of protection in the matter, which Romania maintains and will constantly pursue in all its policies”, the MAE said in an answer to the MEDIAFAX request.

According to the source, MFA officials express their solidarity with the statement by Jean Claude Juncker.

“We also express our solidarity with the statements of the European high official that underline the importance of respecting the legal order built in Europe following the world wars, the guarantee of stability and security at regional level, and we are concerned about the rhetoric of the Budapest authorities launching in the public space messages to question the efforts that have brought peace and understanding among the peoples of today’s Europe. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs firmly denies any attempt to criticize the legitimate and courageous actions of the representatives of the Romanian nation that led to the formation of United Romania in 1918, based on the 14 points presented by President Woodrow Wilson in the session of the congressional, The US House of Representatives on January 8, 1918. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates that Romania understands to celebrate the year 2018 – the Centenary of the Great Union – in the spirit of unity, tolerance and mutual respect among all its citizens, regardless of their ethnicity, and condemns any messages or statements incitement to hatred or interethnic conflicts”, reads the MEDIAFAX response.

Hungarian Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, criticized the statements of Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, who said that the 1918 centennial of the United Nations is an important event not only for Romania, but also for the whole of Europe.

“Europa va fi puternică şi unită dacă acceptăm că anumite date ale istoriei aduc bucurie unora, dar amintiri dureroase altora”, a declarat Szijjarto pentru agenţia MTI. “Nu ne putem aştepta ca cei care regretă astfel de evoluţii să se bucure, astfel de aşteptări sunt imorale şi necinstite”, a adăugat oficialul ungar.

Juncker “should embody a united Europe,” but “never did that, whether it was Brexit, the migration crisis, or Romania’s national day,” the Budapest diplomat said.

In his speech to the European Parliament, a few days ago, Jean Claude Juncker said that the 1st of December is important for the whole of Europe, not just for our country. “On this day we celebrate together a great historical event, which is important for both Romania and Europe”.

Source: Mediafax