The hard lesson of the Holocaust reminds us every time what happens when the majority does not take a stand against individuals or groups that promote „poisonous ideas for society”, on Friday said premier Nicolae Ciuca, adding that anti-Semitism, extremism and hate speech are increasingly present in public space and these „toxic attitudes” must be sanctioned, according to Agerpres.

„Today, we pay a pious tribute to all the victims of the Holocaust and remember one of the most terrible pages in history, when hatred, barbarism and crime reduced humanity to silence and destroyed the destinies of millions of innocent people. We mark together the 78 years of at the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp in an emblematic place for the Jewish community in Romania, which witnessed the brutal attacks on the Jews during the Bucharest Pogrom of January 1941. January 27, 1945 marked the end of the heinous crime wave and horrors of the Holocaust, yet also representing the beginning of a world marked forever by this guilt. At the same time, mankind has assumed the mission of restoring hope in humanity and in fundamental values, as well as incessantly honoring the memory of the victims and to support the survivors,” premier Ciuca said at an event dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust, organized by the Federation to the Jewish Communities from Romania at the Choral Temple in Bucharest.

„But we must not forget those brave Romanians who, as Elie Weisel said, risked their own lives and saved the honour of their nation, opposing the oppression and killing of their citizens,” Ciuca added.

The prime minister recalled that the Romanian state started the process of assuming the Holocaust two decades ago, and „the progress made in the field of memory policies, education and research about the Holocaust and the fight against anti-Semitism are remarkable”.

„Also, important steps have been taken to create the National Museum of the History of the Jews and the Holocaust in Romania. At the center of these efforts is the constant support of the Jewish community in our country and the valorization of the Jewish heritage, which is an integral part of the national culture, objectives that will continue to occupy a priority place on the agenda of the Executive that I lead,” Nicolae Ciuca stressed.

According to the prime minister, „the fight for the defense of fundamental values, for the consolidation of a resilient and inclusive society is a permanent one, because anti-Semitism, extremism and hate speech are increasingly present in the public space”.

„We remain vigilant and take a stand against these demonstrations and those who continue to praise war criminals. We cannot allow history to be distorted or the Holocaust to be minimized. We have the necessary tools to defend our democracy, and all responsible authorities must carry out their mission. Toxic attitudes must be sanctioned, and the legislation must be consistently applied. Also, promoting education, critical thinking and knowledge of history in an authentic way, without idealization, are a priority,” Ciuca said.

He emphasized that he encourages local authorities to organize actions and demonstrations dedicated to the Holocaust, showing that commemorations and memorial projects must be present in the public space.

Agerpres