Romania has exceeded all expectations as a NATO member, Kathleen Kavalec, the U.S. ambassador in Bucharest, said on Wednesday at the Independence Day Reception.
Congratulations to Romania for celebrating of 20 years of NATO Membership this year. As President Biden has recently said, Romania has exceeded all expectations as a strong ally. We look forward to celebrating with you next week NATO’s 75th anniversary, an alliance that has become bigger, stronger and more united than ever before, the US diplomat said.
She recalled the war at the border and thanked Romania for its support to Ukraine.
As we celebrate this evening, we honor the tenacity and hope of both our nations. Our thoughts are also with our friends in Ukraine, who continue to suffer from Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and horrific war. We will always be grateful to the Romanian people and government for their unwavering support to the Ukrainian people in their hour of need. You have provided significant humanitarian, political, economic and military support to your neighbors. And I know that Romania is ready to help rebuild Ukraine when that moment of major importance comes, Kavalec said.
The US diplomat also emphasized the importance of democracy.
Our shared commitment to democracy is in the spotlight this year as more than 60 countries – comprising almost half of the world’s population – hold elections, including our own, she said.
The theme of this year’s Independence Day Reception is „Let’s go to the movies!” to celebrate Romanian-American cooperation in the field of cinema.
Before the 1989 Revolution, for many Romanians, American movies were a rare and precious window to the outside world. They were a source of inspiration, offering hope and a connection to the wider human experience beyond Romania’s borders, the US ambassador mentioned.
In fact, on display in the US Embassy courtyard were costumes, cars and even a canoe that have been used in American productions made in Romania, including „Hatfield & McCoys”, „Wednesday”, „Cold Mountain”. Guests can have their photo taken with cutouts of the famous Oscar statue.
The US Ambassador said that downtown Bucharest „became” the center of Richmond in the 1860s for the recent series „The Gray House”.
Kavalec recalled meeting Francis Ford Coppola in Bucharest and emphasized the importance of financial facilities for the film industry.
We welcome the Romanian government’s recent decision to re-establish a filmmaking incentive program, which we hope will attract more American film productions to Romania, said the American diplomat, adding that „tonight, everyone is a star.”
AGERPRES
