Debate: This is Europe - Debate with the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Manfred Weber
Political group: PPE
Country: Austria
Language: EN

I want to start with a quote: ‘We cannot ignore the challenges we face on the eastern flank. Security and defence are fundamental components of the Union’s future’. These, Mr President, are your words from the Munich Security Conference in 2019. I was in the audience. You were right then, and you are right now. The war in Ukraine has been a wake—up call for many, but not for you. When you entered into office in 2014, you said that defence was one of the priorities for Romania and for Europe. In 2017, you managed to get the Romanian Parliament to increase defence spending to meet the NATO 2% commitment, and in 2023, Romania committed to spend 2.5% of its GDP for defence. It is your determination that made Romania a strong pillar of European defence and one of Ukraine’s greatest allies. This is leadership at its best – not speaking about problems, but solving them. Dear President Iohannis, when we look at Romania today, we see a true European success story. Since joining the European Union in 2007, Romania has become Eastern Europe’s second—largest economy at an impressive speed, and a modern, attractive country.  Bucharest is number one in the Balkans for building up start-ups; Cluj—Napoca is a true European tech hub. This is a country full of talent that is fighting to turn brain drain into brain gain. Great leaders are not only great at the national level, but they are also great on European level. You also reminded us that in the Sibiu EU summit in 2019 – the first EU summit to be held on Europe Day – you got all leaders to agree on a Europe that protects its citizens. You have advanced many EU defence initiatives, always working for a strong EU pillar in a strong NATO. You started many strategic discussions on enlargement, and it was also your strong voice in the European Council that made it possible to open the accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova last December. Europe owes a lot to Romanian leadership and Romania owes a lot to your leadership. You showed Romanian citizens that a modern, pro-European Romania is possible and is successful. I also want to thank the Romanian Commissioner and all Romanian colleagues in the plenary who also served this broader perspective. Dear President Iohannis, for us in the EPP there is no doubt that Romania must fully join the Schengen Area. You have been ready for 13 years on this subject. If planes and ships are crossing borders without inspection, why should cars and trucks have to wait in endless lines? Romania and Bulgaria must mean Schengen. It’s good for security, it’s good for the business, and it’s good for our citizens.  In the middle of the Brexit crisis in 2019, the spirit of Sibiu was fresh air to relaunch Europe. Now, five years later – if I may say this from an EP point of view – the EP family will go to Bucharest for the congress. We will go to Romania to kick off our campaign and to kick off the campaign for the European elections. Once again, Romania is the place to shape a safer home for all Europeans. Thanks for your leadership.