Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will receive the International Charlemagne Prize this week in recognition of his work to promote European unity and fight corruption, a statement said.
The award is given to public figures or bodies „distinguished by their outstanding work toward European unity or cooperation between European states.”
Aachen
The president, 62, will receive the award in on Saturday in the west German city of Aachen.
A statement said that under his leadership Romania was “becoming the most European country in South Eastern Europe.”
“Klaus Iohannis, with enormous dedication and success, has led Romania to espouse a pro-European policy committed to the rule of law,” a statement said.
Corruption
It praised him for his “absolutely unwavering” and “resolute pro-European course. His fight against corruption and cronyism, and for the separation of powers and the rule of law.”
As president, his agenda was “a Romania of things well done”, a Romania firmly based on the rule of law, on transparency and on freedom from corruption.
The former mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu was first elected president in 2014. He won a landslide victory securing a second five-year term in 2019.
Romanian success story
As mayor of the central city of Sibiu, he “transformed (it) from a relatively insignificant regional city into one of the most culturally diverse, best developed and most prosperous centers in the whole country…. a Romanian success story and role model,”
Due to due to his “efforts and vision,” Sibiu together with Luxembourg were named the „European Capital of Culture” in 2007. ” That was the year Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union.
He found himself in politics „quite by accident,” as he later remarked in retrospect. „What’s my secret? I think the answer is simply that, as a rule, I manage to find the right way to tackle issues,” it added.
Bridge-builder
The statement called him “a great proponent of fairness, of protection of minorities and of cultural diversity (and) a leading mediator and bridge-builder between Western and Eastern European societies.”
The award aims to honor those who defend European unity. The prize ceremony originally scheduled for May 2020 was postponed due to the pandemic.
Emperor Charlemagne
It has been awarded annually since 1950. It commemorates Frankish emperor Charlemagne, the founder of the Holy Roman Empire, who resided and is buried in Aachen.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis wins 2020 Charlemagne Prize for championing European values
