Public statement of Prince Radu of Romania
09.06.2009 Tipareste Trimite prin email
I invited you today, so that I can address, through you, the citizens of Romania. From the beginning of the economic crisis, two strongly harmful tendencies for the society are becoming more pronounced every day: the lowering of performance in the functioning of public authorities and the dangerous detachment between State and society.
The response of the politicians is an unacceptable one, with severe consequences for the state of the nation: the cover up of the precarious economic problem with pitiful electoral disputes. After Romania entered the economic recession, the political rhetoric amplified, instead of being replaced by professionalism and competency. What will get Romania through is an increase in production, the amplification of investments and the stimulation of business, not the political parasitizing of public institutions.
The relative, but constant economic increase in the last years made it so that people ignore the politician’s unfulfilled promises, creating 2 worlds: one in which those who lead the country promise and don’t deliver and another in which people are used to solve their own problems, at times at the border line or beyond the laws. Because they’ve lost all hope of help on part of the leaders and the institutions.
The existence of these 2 worlds creates in 2009 one of the most difficult situations for the Romanian State and its citizens. The economic crisis has brought people to the point where they have to look to someone, to have hope. People have come out into the streets exasperated by the consequences of the economic recession and worried about tomorrow – farmers, teachers, train station workers. In order to survive, before 2009, the Romanians had found refuge in a world separated from the political one. Today, in full crisis, turning to the politicians, the Romanian people find yet another closed door.
Four mistakes have aggravated the economic crisis in the Romanian perimeter. All strictly determined by irresponsibility, obtuseness and egoism.
The inabilities of our political leaders to take into account the prognosis and long-term project in the economic and financial fields.
Passing of laws for pure electoral purposes or serving the interests of few, to the detriment of the others. Most recent victims being the retired and the teachers who were promised the raise or at least the maintenance of their income, to discover, only a few months later, that the promises were without substance.
The introduction, at an unsuited moment, of restrictive fiscal regulations that clogs, if not damages, the life of small businesses, in the conditions of economic crisis.
Political mismanagement of public money. While jobs could be created through infrastructural investment, agriculture and the other fields stipulated in the FMI, EU, BERD or BEI, the country is on hold, in an unsubstantiated wait, for the elected ones, and their political clientele, to introduce money into activities with no positive social impact, but with the only purpose of personal gain.
In moments of economic and political difficulty, the Government’s and the parties’ responsibility is even greater. Performance at the administrative level, and competency there must increase, not be replaced by political rhetoric and personal ambitions. It is not the moment for rustic feasts, or interminable electoral launches, Romania has no particular reason for celebration. It is not the way to conquest Europe. Europe can only be “conquered” by constructing future at home.
I advise administrative correctitude and responsibility. If this political circus is not finished, bread will be too short for many of this country’s people. The ones with political-administrative responsibilities cannot pretend to fail to understand the difficult moment we are passing through. The country cannot be deluded in 2009. Teachers, farmers, public servants cannot be deluded. The young people, born after 1989 less! 20 years after the December 1989 events:
It is time for values, competency and professionalism to gather and be allowed to work for the Romanians!
It is time that the administration of European Funds to be equilibrated between the local, regional and national levels!
It is time to stop the allocation of public money, from budget resources or European Funds, on criteria other than social efficiency!
This country will not overcome the economic crisis at the hands of one man. It is time to learn to trust democracy, the role of public institutions and their rules!
It is time for Romania’s institutions to function professionally and in the interest of society.
