Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu conveyed a message on the occasion of Europe Day on Thursday, saying that since joining the EU Romania has benefited from more than 64 billion euros in European funds, money that it has received in addition to the total amount it contributed to the EU budget.

He mentioned that EU membership offers our country „concrete prospects for sustainable development and cohesion” in economic and social terms.

„Looking back, in the years that have passed since our accession, Romania has benefited from more than 64 billion euros in European funds, money that our country has received in addition to the total amount it has contributed to the EU budget. This positive balance has grown steadily over the last two years in favour of transport, digitalisation, medical, educational and environmental infrastructure projects, investments designed to bring development and prosperity to citizens and society,” Ciolacu said, according to a press release issued by the Government.

He mentioned that Romanians who will vote in the European Parliament elections on 9 June will strengthen Romania’s status as a state „strongly attached” to European values.

„The aspirations of the generation contemporary with the birth of the European project were fulfilled by those who fought for Romania’s freedom in December 1989 and will be carried forward by young people born at a time when our country is already enjoying the status of a European state and a member of NATO, the most secure alliance in history,” said the prime minister.

Marcel Ciolacu stressed that Europe Day is dedicated to the start of a project „aimed at bringing peace, stability and economic prosperity to a continent that was healing in the 1950s from the wounds” of two world wars.

„After decades of dictatorship, Romania joined the European Union family in 2007, a status desired and deserved by Romanians. Because we have chosen a Romania strongly anchored in the values of democracy and in a cohesive and prosperous society. The deep reforms started since then at institutional level and that of the whole of society must be further consolidated and protected, as well as the opportunities arising from the status we now have must be exploited,” reads the prime minister’s message.

At he same time, May 9 marks the end of the Second World War. The prime minister draws attention to the fact that today’s „security threats” must be handled responsibly and wisely.

„These days we also mark the end of the largest and most devastating conflict in human history, the Second World War in 1945. Security threats continue to exist, in increasingly complex forms. We owe it to ourselves to manage them responsibly and wisely for current and future generations, who want to live in peace, democracy and prosperity,” Marcel Ciolacu further mentions.

AGERPRES