History shows that hate builds nothing, it spreads and ultimately destroys, and last year gave a stark warning, according to a message from Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, delivered by the Head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Mihai Jurca, at the ceremony marking the International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the memory of the victims of the anti-Jewish Legionary Pogrom in Bucharest, organised by the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania.
„27 January marks the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, but also the restoration of freedom to all who survived the atrocities of the Holocaust. We are grateful to those who had the strength to tell their story and we bow in respect to the suffering endured. To the victims who did not return, we pay a silent and profound tribute. At this time, our thoughts also turn to all the victims of the anti-Jewish Legionary Pogrom in Bucharest, a tragedy which took place on the streets of the Capital at the hands of those poisoned by hate and propaganda,” the Prime Minister’s message underscored.
According to him, history shows that hate builds nothing, it only destroys.
„History shows that hate builds nothing. It spreads, intensifies, multiplies and ultimately destroys. Last year gave a stark warning. We saw that antisemitism, hate speech and the temptation of violence are not just relics of the past, but they can resurface even in the Romanian society. We witnessed a dangerous derailment – what should have been a simple legislative process turned, partly due to instrumentalisation, into aggressive and visceral antisemitism that I no longer believed possible in post-1989 Romania. I unequivocally condemn such manifestations, which are incompatible with the values of a mature democracy and with the respect for human dignity,” according to the Prime Minister’s message.
He also underscored that „Romania knows all too well the consequences of extremism.”
„The crimes, deportations and persecutions against ethnic Romanian Jews during the Second World War are documented facts that cannot be denied or relativised. Today, it is important for us as a society to reflect on the direction we are heading and the values that guide us, in order to build a community based on balance, respect for others and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. Romania’s Government treats the fight against antisemitism, xenophobia, radicalisation and hate speech as an essential responsibility for the democratic functioning of society. We will continue this effort together with Mr Silviu Vexler, the President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania – Mosaic Cult, whom I thank for his support over time. The Federation remains an essential partner of the Romanian authorities in joint efforts to strengthen democracy and implement committed measures,” the Prime Minister’s message conveyed. AGERPRES
