Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis today announced he decided to run for Secretary General of NATO. In a press statement, Iohannis said this decision is based on Romania’s performance, his experience accumulated during two presidential terms, and the deep understanding of the challenges faced by NATO, Europe, and the region in particular.
“Twenty years ago, the Romanian flag was raised for the first time at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, marking the final step in our country’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance. It has been two decades since Romania has been a member of the strongest political-military alliance, which, for 75 years, has promoted democracy and freedom, has been effectively defending its members and has developed a vast network of partners, alongside which it promotes international order based on rules”, declared Klaus Iohannis.
According to him, the cardinal values of the Alliance, including the rule of law, respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, represented the compass that guided the consolidation of an authentic democracy. “In addition, and crucially, the NATO umbrella provided the strongest security guarantees in history. Never have these security guarantees proved more relevant than today.”
“We are living in the most difficult times in terms of security in recent decades, but we the Romanians feel protected precisely because we are members of the North Atlantic Alliance. A military conflict in Europe is a reality that a few years ago seemed improbable. Russia is proving to be a serious and long-lasting threat to our continent, to our Euro-Atlantic security”, said the Romanian president.
In these conditions, says Klaus Iohannis, NATO’s borders become of paramount importance, and the strengthening of the Eastern flank, which also includes Romania, will remain a long-term priority.
“Today, Romania is a respected member of NATO, as well as of the European Union. It is a status that we have earned over the last years, by demonstrating involvement, strategic predictability in our foreign and security policy, stability, professionalism and direct respect for the core values underlying the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union”, said Iohannis.
“Eastern Europe has a valuable contribution to the discussions and decisions adopted within NATO. With a balanced, strong and influential representation from this region, the Alliance will be able to make the best decisions that meet the needs and concerns of all member states. For all these reasons, I decided to enter the competition for the position of Secretary General of NATO”, said Klaus Iohannis.
