The 2023-2026 Strategy for Romanians Abroad is to be proposed to the Executive for approval in May – June next year, Secretary of State with the Department for Romanians Abroad Gheorghe Carciu announced, acording to Agerpres.

„The purpose of this work is to ensure a direction of concrete actions for the next four years, I would say in the medium and long term, because we also want to achieve what we aim and, in order to truly support Romanians outside of the borders, we need medium and long term projects. (…) We hope we achieve it in 2023, to place on the Government’s table a new well determined strategy,” Carciu stated.

The Secretary of State participated on Wednesday in an inter-institutional consultation conference and with the Romanian associative environment over the 2023-2026 National Strategy for Romanians Abroad and the 2023-2026 Prioritization Plan of interventions made by the Department for Romanians Abroad.

Carciu brought to mind that the Government took on the completion of this strategy, and this year, for the first time, the Department for Romanians Abroad, „has been taken seriously” at the budget revision and received 51 million lei.

The State Advisor with the Department for the Relation with Romanians Abroad of the Presidential Administration, Sandra Pralong, signaled the necessity of a better collaboration between the state’s institutions in supporting Romanians abroad, as well as the adoption of a „more articulated” vision in providing some services to them.

„Romanians abroad represent an absolutely incalculable asset for Romania. Obviously, they represent a loss, this is not up for debate, however, if we know how to better use this potential of influence and expertise, we can be a country that wins not only through the Romanians’ return who come with new skills, new abilities, who come with new expectations from the state. (…) Romanians abroad are ambassadors. We all say this thing, but we do little to truly empower and expand the Romanian soft-power through them,” Pralong stated.

Social Democratic Party (PSD) Deputy Natalia Intotero, former Minister for Romanians Abroad, called for the regulation of teachers’ statute who teach classes of Romanian language, culture and civilisation outside Romania.

Former Education Minister Monica Anisie, the head of the Senate’s Committee for education, youth and sport, underscored that the Romanian state should make all the efforts so that „each Romanian be valued, whether he/she is on Romania’s soil or beyond the country’s borders.”

According to PSD senator and former National Defence Minister Vasile Dincu, in the activity dedicated to Romanians abroad, there should be a shift from emotion to reason. He pleaded for the establishment of a ministry for Romanians abroad, with a „serious” budget, „comparable to one of a ministry which manages the destiny of millions of Romanians.”

The Former National Defence Minister proposed that the future strategy for Romanians abroad be debated within the governing coalition.

The Department for Romanians Abroad organised, with physical and online participation, a first consultation on the strategic documents for the drafting of the new National Strategy for Romanians Abroad, the event’s objective being the development of a set of strategic planning tools through its substantiation.

The dialogue moderated by Secretary of State Gheorghe Carciu was also attended by representatives of the Government and Parliament, Director of AGERPRES National News Agency Claudia Nicolae and Director of TVR International Mihaela Craciun, representatives of other public institutions and the Romanian associative environment interested in the topic from the country and abroad.

The National Strategy for Romanians Abroad is the public policies document which includes the objectives, directions of actions and measures foreseen for 2023-2026, adapted to the current needs of the historical communities and the mobility diaspora, in order to preserve, affirm and promote the Romanian identity.

The Strategy includes seven general objectives: preserving, developing and stating linguistic identity; preserving, developing and affirming cultural and spiritual identity; supporting civil society, defending the rights of Romanians outside the borders and strengthening the associative environment; the development of mass media in the Romanian language; facilitating the return and reintegration of the Romanian citizens who decide to come back to the country, including by supporting social and economic initiatives; the involvement of the Diaspora members in the development of Romanian society; facilitating access to information and programmes unfolded by the Romanian state for Romanians abroad.

Agerpres