UMANager, Patapievici: Presence in EU and NATO, vital to Romania, also flexible army

Writer Horia-Roman Patapievici considers that in a world evolving based on continent-states logic, Romania's presence in the European Union and NATO is vital. 

"What can Romania do? It can understand that in a world evolving based on continent-states logic - America is a continent-state, China is a continent-state, India is a continent-state, Russia is a continent-state, Brazil, although it doesn't cover South America, is a continent-state, so, in a world in which geopolitics is made by a continent-state, we need to join the continent we belong to, according to the 1848 generation that westernised Romania. And that is now the European Union," Patapievici said on Wednesday night at the 16th edition of the Leadership UMANager Workshops. 

He emphasised that for Romania, its presence, both in the European Union and in NATO, is vital. 

"Presence in the European Union and NATO is vital to us. And now I am going to tell you a heresy that will shock you. My opinion is that Romania should heavily arm itself. Namely - to arm itself intelligently just as the State of Israel is arming itself intelligently. We must have powerful national secret services, inspired by the 1848 generation. I would call them C.A. Rosetti Division, Titu Maiorescu Division, to remind them where they come from, that they are not communists. We must have a flexible army, just as Israel has a flexible army. Let us not count that somebody else will fight for us, when the time comes for something like this to take place and we should not whine 'Oh poor us! This can't be! There is nuclear weapons programme! Nothing can be done!' and hit the pike. It is the worst thing to do, reminding of 1940, the year of our dishonour," Patapievici explained. 

According to him, "a realistic national policy cannot rely but on the cultural embracement of capitalism." 

At the event, dedicated to the first 100 years of Greater Romania, to the ethical aspirations and values for Romanians, sociologist Vasile Dancu, historian Dumitru Lacatusu from the Historical Advisory Centre and Dorin Bodea, CEO of Result Development, CEO Mentor's Search. 

UMANager is a support project for ethics in business and boosting the confidence level of young entrepreneurs in autochthonous business partners and milieu. Organised as quarterly, interactive conferences and workshops, delivered by well-known business people and entrepreneurs who have built durable businesses in Romania, the project aims to glue a community that uses ethics in business as milestone for their professional activity.