President Iohannis: It would be a disaster to abandon Romania's journey towards Europe and modernity

President Klaus Iohannis, who paid a visit on Saturday to the "Inochentie Micu Klein" National College in Blaj, said it would be a disaster for Romania to abandon its journey towards Europe and modernity.

"Blaj exemplifies the fundamental role of books and schools, of education and cultivation of spirit, in Romania's journey towards Europe and modernity, and I very much want to preserve Romania's path towards Europe and modernity. It would be a disaster to abandon this path, for which, basically, for so long, all Romanians have fighted for," the head of state said. 

The President also pointed out that Blaj is a City which remains in the public memory for its "exceptional importance in the development" of the Romanian national consciousness. He also added that in the year when we are celebrating the Centenary of the Great Union of Romania, we need to talk about the present and the future, as much as we talk about the past.

"The 1848 Revolution generation and the Great War generation left us a country that, united around a national ideal and a political project, managed to overcome the obstacles and develop. (...) Romania of tomorrow depends on our vision and on that of today's decision-making factors. A wise man, when planning the future, looks in the past, learns its lessons, makes a plan for the future. This is exactly what we must do," he said.

In other words, the President congratulated the athletes from CSM Volley Alba Blaj for their qualification for the final of Women's Champions League.

"Blaj, also known as a city of schools, proved in 1848, and continues to do so today, that not only the big cities, the capitals of historical regions or the county capital cities can make history and culture, and can become engines of development or even sports capitals. Which is why I am taking this opportunity to congratulate the Alba Blaj volley team, which has just qualified for the final of the Women's Champions League. This performance is the result of the combined effort of athletes, coaches, the technical team, but also is due to those who supported the team, the citizens of Blaj and, obviously, the local authorities," he said.

Being invited to Blaj on the occasion of the 170th anniversary of the Blaj National Assembly of May 3-15 1848, President Klaus Iohannis also attended the "Blaj 1848-2018: National Consciousness and European Destiny" debate organized at the high school in the City, where he has a dialogue with the representatives of the local administration and associations, businessmen, athletes, cultural personalities, pupils and teachers.