Nicuşor Dan took office as president: "The Romanian state needs a fundamental change"

Nicuşor Dan officially began his term as president of Romania yesterday, after taking the oath of office in the reunified plenary session of Parliament. The solemn moment was blessed by His Beatitude Daniel, the patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, who prayed for the blessing of the new president and all the country's leaders.

Nicuşor Dan took the oath with his right hand on the Bible and the Constitution, reciting the solemn commitment to respect the laws of the country, to defend democracy and the rights of citizens, and to serve the Romanian people with all his strength and skill. The ceremony was opened by the singing of the national anthem, followed by the reading of the decision of the Constitutional Court by its president, Marian Enache.

Unfortunately, the representatives of the sovereignist parties demonstrated yesterday that respecting the rules of democracy is not important to them. If the AUR parliamentarians were conspicuous by their absence from the hall where the plenary session took place, those of SOS turned their backs on the tribune, on the new president, ignoring that among those they turned their backs on was the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, while an elected POT shouted to the president of the CCR, Marian Enache, to be ashamed of himself.

During the solemn session, the new president of the country addressed an extensive speech to the nation, in which he emphasized the urgent need for state reform and promised to be a president "open to the voice of society". Nicuşor Dan asked citizens to continue to exert "positive" pressure on public institutions, so that they can reform themselves from the ground up: "The Romanian state needs a fundamental change, of course within the limits of the rule of law. And I invite you to continue to be involved, with all the social strength you have demonstrated, to put positive pressure on the institutions of the Romanian state, so that they can reform themselves. And I assure you that I will be a president open to the voice of society and a partner with society."

Speaking about the immediate challenges, the country's president drew attention to the budget deficit that risks affecting the country's economic stability. He stressed that it is essential for Romania to have a government supported by a parliamentary majority, which will undertake the necessary fiscal reforms, send a signal of stability to the financial markets and create a favorable climate for investments. In the long term, President Nicuşor Dan highlighted the need for a profound reform in administration, economy, health, education, justice, environment, culture and the social field, but also pointed out the need to digitize and streamline the administrative apparatus, stop tax evasion, stimulate investments in agriculture and health infrastructure, as well as strengthen the education system, to prevent school dropout and develop critical thinking in schools.

In the field of justice, Nicuşor Dan advocated for greater efficiency in the fight against corruption, reform of the Judicial Inspection, acceleration of case resolution and redefining the criteria for promoting magistrates. Regarding the environment, he called for the reform of control institutions and the expansion of the activity of the Environmental Guard, as well as better waste management and urban development.

In the cultural area, the president stressed the importance of promoting contemporary Romanian culture and capitalizing on heritage as a resource of national prestige, and in the social sphere, he proposed measures to streamline the pension and social benefits system, support care services, and reduce obstacles to women's participation in the labor market.

Externally, Nicuşor Dan stated that Romania must strengthen its strategic partnerships, especially with the United States and within the European Union and NATO, reduce critical dependencies, and actively participate in the European decision-making process. The relationship with the Republic of Moldova was a central point, with the president advocating supporting its European path, expanding joint projects, and improving the functioning of key institutions, such as customs and the National Citizenship Authority.

Regarding the diaspora, Nicuşor Dan emphasized the need to streamline consular services and create a structure dedicated to those who wish to return to the country, especially to invest. He also mentioned the importance of systematically teaching the Romanian language in communities outside the borders and of ensuring proportional representation in Parliament.

After the ceremony in Parliament, the new president went to the Cotroceni Palace, where the ceremony of handing over the presidential mandate took place, in the presence of interim President Ilie Bolojan, who had led the state for three months. The transfer of power lasted approximately 20 minutes, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the leadership of Romania.