President Iohannis: There is a danger of intolerant discourse being activated to undermine European solidarity

President Klaus Iohannis sent a message on Thursday to a meeting of the Ecumenical Prayer Group in Parliament of Romania in which he underlines the Romanians' attachment to the European Union, warning that there is a danger of intolerant speech being activating to undermine the European Union. 

"I have been gratified to found our fellow citizens' attachment to Europe, to the project of European solidarity, built from different historical experiences, and perhaps of that generated by and a generator of common values. Romanians have rallied themselves around this peace project, which Romania has been a part of since 2007, increasingly more as an expression of framework for building our own future, which is waiting to receive our inputs and our own contribution. Romania's membership to the European Union has proved a chance, an opportunity for communities, including for the preservation of the cultural identity and heritage, of the secular or religious spiritual treasure. I bring you to mid that Romanian is an official language of the European Union, that its financial support has benefited many religious establishments, that our EU membership made that major identity emblems of the Romanian culture become known and recognised throughout Europe. Romania is praised for the way its state has positioned itself in an equidistant and positive way in relation to religious denominations and associations," reads the presidential message read out by presidential adviser Sergiu Nistor. . 

Iohannis points out that under the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Strategic Agenda of the European Union, adopted on debates that took place at the Summit in Sibiu, proclaims the investment in culture and cultural heritage as a priority of the EU and its member states. 

"Europe is an edifice of identities. For centuries, they have also generated dialogue and disputes, acculturation and conflicts. Two world wars, the WWII's Holocaust, and ethnic cleansing in former Yugoslavia, showed us tragically, how identities can be claimed to serve as a source of manipulation, war, sufferings and death. The last century showed us that the existence, protection and fruition of our identities, the spirituality of our rich and diverse Europe can only be secured by guaranteeing the fundamental human rights through democratic organisations and mechanisms operating in compliance with the rule of law." 

Iohannis points out that there is a risk of intolerant discourse being activated to undermine European solidarity. 

"Is there a danger of intolerant discourse being activated and of a return to the counterbalance of identities or using identity arguments to undermine European solidarity? Unfortunately yes, such risk has not been eliminated, and even it has concrete forms today, in the demagogic and populist manipulation of the attachment to personal identities. But it can be removed, reduced, through dialogue just like today's one, which will get involved, together with the political class, parts and representatives of the society, the bearers of identity diversity that characterises contemporary Romania."