PAEC - Minister Ungureanu Wants Dignity Back

Minister of External Affairs, Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, presented the members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council the main targets of the Romanian presidency of the organization’s Ministers’ Committee.

The Parliament members were reassured about Romania’s engagement regarding the situation in the western Balcans, the Black Sea region and the release of the Romanians held at Tiraspol, Tudor Petrov Popa and Andrei Ivantoc. At the request of the journalists, Ungureanu commented the situation of the two Romanian citizens held in Tiraspol. "By not enforcing the decision of the European Court of Human Rights which demands the release of the two, the European system for the protection of human rights is impugned", the mister stated and he added that Romania, as the President of the European Council Ministers Committee, will put pressure on the authorities to free the Romanians.

The recent debate regarding the crimes of the totalitarian communist regimes was also an important issue of the discussions. On Wednesday night, the Parliament members adopted the resolution regarding the conviction of these crimes, but not the concrete elements (like the modification of the schoolbooks, the initiation of the War Crimes Museums). Mihai Razvan Ungureanu announced that Romania is ready to host an international debate on this hot issue in the European Union.

GOALS FOR THE DIASPORA. In a press conference after the speech, for the Romanian media, the Minister referred to a series of changes which he believes will lead to the revival of all the Romanians’ dignity: "No more experiments. The department for the Romanians all over the world cannot be impugned anymore", Ungureanu said, He stated that the money wasting and the lack of involvement in politics will seize. In Sofia, as well as in cities in Spain and Italy, the Romanian diplomats will take over the responsibility of the historical or recent problems of the Romanian community.

Moreover, the Minister added that programs for the development of the education for ethnic children in these communities have been elaborated. As for the results of the contest for the occupation of the posts from the Romanian Ministry of External Affairs, especially for the Department of the Romanians all over the world, Ungureanu said he was disappointed because of the candidates who, according to him, surprisingly have problems with the Romanian language.