September 17, 2022
On Honour, Principles and the Need to Be Consistent with Oneself
Yesterday, in my capacity as president of the Coalition for the Nation, I issued a statement protesting against the censorship and discrimination instituted by the government of Romania through its senior officials.
As was only natural, I condemned the official declaration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made through its representative, Ovidiu Raetchi, by which a citizen was forbidden to take part in a debate organised by an NGO — and this on account of the differences of opinion this citizen holds with regard to the political position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In other words the Foreign Ministry, at the highest level, discriminated against a Romanian citizen, limiting his right to free expression on account of the fact that this person holds opinions that are not “politically correct”, contrary to the official position of the Romanian State.
I know, we have grown used to censorship, which has sadly become a banal fact. But until now censorship came from private institutions such as Facebook, the press, television. Until now Censorship was not an official act, even if it was tacitly or discreetly imposed by the State.
Since the day before yesterday Censorship has become an official State policy, promoted publicly and without any veil by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself — there, where diplomacy and elegance ought to clothe every form of expression.
Well, it turns out they do not!
Censorship and discrimination are exhibited without shame and without veil from the summit of the Romanian State.
Which is what compelled our reaction, that of the CfN! An official reaction, firm and clear, to the official position of the Foreign Ministry and by implication of the Romanian State — a reaction by which we demanded the resignation of the political hack Ovidiu Raetchi, the man who publicly stated that he “goes along with the SRI”, and likewise of Minister Bogdan Aurescu, who permitted and/or did not immediately sanction so grave a lapse by one of his subordinates.
The reaction had as its purpose the defence of the principles and values we have been defending for decades: the freedom and dignity of the Romanian citizen, whatever his name may be.
I was surprised that many of our followers, some of them declared supporters and volunteers of the Sovereignty Law, leapt up as though scalded at this declaration.
The reason?
The citizen censored and discriminated against is Professor Adrian Severin. And the fact that Adrian Severin had a conviction under the Securitate-Kövesi regime seems to make him unworthy of our protection — indeed, to legitimise any abuse by the State, any act of censorship and discrimination to which he is subjected at present, years after he served his sentence, regardless of whether that sentence was just or unjust.
And this situation, this position taken by some of our fellow citizens, seems to me more revolting than the discrimination and censorship of which I spoke above — all the more so as it comes from those with whom we fight on the same barricade against the abusive and undemocratic State.
That is why I must clarify certain matters:
We shall defend the rights and liberties of any Romanian citizen, whatever his name and whatever he may have done or said in the past.
We shall protest against any abuse of the Romanian State committed against any citizen, no matter who may stand at the head of the Romanian State.
We shall acknowledge the merits of any Romanian citizen, whatever his sins and errors, just as we shall demand that any wrongs be punished and shall pray for the forgiveness of the sins of any citizen, whatever his name or his qualities.
We shall remain consistent in exposing and condemning the abuses and crimes of the monstrous Băsescu-Kövesi regime, the root of evil in Romania.
We shall remain grateful to anyone who helps us, and we shall leave no one on our team behind.
That is why, remaining consistent with our own principles and values, we shall act in accordance with them, whatever risks and “collateral losses” of image this may entail.
The fact that we have been in politics for a month has not turned us into demagogic opportunists devoid of values and principles.
Nor will it ever turn us into such.
We shall remain nailed to our principles, even if this exposes us and brings upon us the reprobation of some in society, and even if some supporters may be ready to tear us apart for it.
And we shall remain consistent for the simple reason that this is what society needs today: consistency in principles, honour, the confession of the truth and courage in the defence of values… even unto sacrifice.
As for the “sensitive subject” whose name or presence inflames any public discussion — Professor Adrian Severin — my personal position, which does not bind the party, remains unchanged: a consummate professional, who was my teacher, a man of dazzling intelligence who has served his sentence for a criminal offence of which he was convicted by the criminal Băsescu-Kövesi regime, and who is today a citizen with full civic rights.
Not least, Professor Adrian Severin was one of the few professionals who made an active and important contribution to #TheSovereigntyLaw.
And for that I shall always remain grateful to him.
And yet, in spite of all the above, yesterday’s statement was not about Adrian Severin, nor was it in defence of Adrian Severin!
It was in defence of the principles and values in which I believe and in which we all believe in #TheCoalitionForTheNation.
And these values and principles will not be negotiable.
Just as the rights and liberties of any Romanian citizen cannot be made conditional upon his name, his social status, his convictions or even his past.
And these positions will remain non-negotiable and unchanged, whatever the risks or costs.
#ForTheNation
#ToTheVeryEnd
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