Romania’s newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Oana Gheorghiu, says her role will be to open up the Government to society — to engage with businesses, civil society, and citizens — in order to shape reforms and policies based on real needs. She adds that when people unite and each contributes to change according to their means, nothing is impossible.

„After more than 15 years dedicated to the most daring initiative in Romanian healthcare – building the country’s first Children’s Hospital for Cancer, Serious Illnesses and Trauma, and later a medical campus for children – the time has come to take a new step. I have accepted the proposal to take on the position of Deputy Prime Minister of Romania. It is a difficult and emotional decision, because Daruieste Viata [Association] has been and remains part of me. But I strongly believe that our experience – that of a community which proved that solidarity can build hospitals – must also be brought into public administration, where the decisions that affect our lives are made,” Oana Gheorghiu announced on Facebook on Thursday, after taking the oath of office at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.

She specified that during her term in government, she will suspend her executive roles within the Daruieste Viata Association.

„I trust that the Daruieste Viata team and our community of donors and sponsors will continue the projects exactly as we began them – with transparency, professionalism and determination. I remain deeply grateful to each of you – to the more than 350,000 people and thousands of companies – who turned an impossible dream into reality: a hospital built from solidarity. This strength of the community is the greatest guarantee that we will continue to change Romania,” Gheorghiu stated.

In her new role, she said, she will continue to convey the message that „people want change and reform, so they can live better in Romania and have access to quality public services.”

„I will also carry forward the lesson we learned together: that when people unite and each contributes to change according to their means, nothing is impossible. My role as Deputy Prime Minister will be to open the Government to society, to consult companies, civil society and citizens, in order to base reforms and measures on real social needs and to build them together, in trust. Just as we worked at Daruieste Viata, together with our community. Thank you, and I hope you will continue to stand by me and by Daruieste Viata in this new chapter,” Gheorghiu concluded. AGERPRES