Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis on Saturday was presented with the 2020 Charlemagne Prize at a ceremony in the German city of Aachen for promoting „European values.”
European project
Vera Jourova, the vice president of the European Commission for values and transparency, praised the president for his „service for the common European project.”
Congratulation to President of Romania @KlausIohannis for being awarded #karlspreis 2020/21 for his service for the common European project. Inspiring speech with strong call for unity and solidarity in Europe, based on its values such as #democracy and #RuleOfLaw. pic.twitter.com/CJNFwp2R9d
— Věra Jourová (@VeraJourova) October 2, 2021
“Inspiring speech with strong call for unity and solidarity in Europe, based on its values such as democracy and the rule of law,” she tweeted.
The award ceremony, originally scheduled for May 2020, had been postponed several times because of the pandemic.
The Romanian president was given the honor for his service in promoting European unity.
European values
The prize’s board of directors commended him for making Romania, a country that once had a „brutal dictatorship,” a home for European values in southeastern Europe.
The board said the prize was meant to encourage Iohannis to continue resolutely on his „European path.” The president was accompanied by his wife, Carmen.
The award came a day after seven died when a fire broke out in Covid-19 intensive care unit at a hospital in eastern Romanian. Mr Iohannis said he was „horrified” by the tragedy, the third deadly blaze at a hospital in less than a year.
„The state has failed in its basic mission to protect its citizens,” he said on Friday, echoing public anger.
Bridge-builder
Mr. Iohannis, 62, is „a great champion of fairness, the protection of minorities and cultural diversity, as well as an important mediator and bridge builder between western and eastern European societies,” said Jürgen Linden, a board spokesman ahead of the presentation.
President of the European Council, Charles Michel, praised Iohannis’ efforts toward a united Europe. He also called for the EU to strengthen its military defense capabilities.
Mr Iohannis was mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu from 200 until he was elected president in 2014. He won re-election in 2019.
Transylvanian Saxons
He is a member of the ethnic German community known as Transylvanian Saxons. Other notable community members attended Saturday’s event, including Michael Schmidt and his wife Veronica.
The group is known for their pragmatic and hands-on approach and for integrating well with Romanians and other minority groups.
Deutsche Welle said the Romanian president had “continued to promote justice and combat corruption in the former communist country, while championing European unity.”
Aachen
The Charlemagne Prize, named after the royal founder of what became the Holy Roman Empire, has been awarded by the city of Aachen since 1950. Charlemagne (748-814) resided and is buried in Aachen.
The 2019 recipient was UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and French President Emmanuel Macron won the year before. Other prominent winners include Chancellor Angela Merkel (2008), Pope John Paul II (2004) and former US President Bill Clinton (2000).
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