Iohannis: Finding truth, punishing those responsible for December 1989 horrors

President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday, when the Romanians celebrate the Victory Day of the Romanian Revolution and Freedom, that finding the truth and punishing all those responsible for the "horrors" of December 1989 was an "unforgivable backlog" of the Romanian Justice."The recollection of the facts and the evocation of the heroes must be intertwined with the correct assumption of the past, which means, first of all, that justice needs to be done. Unfortunately, finding the truth and punishing all those responsible for the December 1989 horrors is an unforgivable backlog of Romanian justice. It is a shame that 32 years after the Romanian Revolution, no one has paid for the victims of that terrible massacre. The Romanian justice shouldn't rest until all those who are guilty of the numerous deaths during the Revolution are identified and made to pay," the President said in a message sent to AGERPRES by the Presidential Administration.The head of state added that he will continue to defend the ideals of the Revolution and to campaign for a modern, strong and inclusive society."The free Romania for which our heroes were sacrificed is the country where fundamental human rights and freedoms reign, the place where justice is done by an independent and accountable justice before society and history," Iohannis said.According to him, December 1989 represents the "zero point of recent history" that fundamentally changed Romania's destiny, but the victory against the dictatorship was paid "with the price of the blood of too many young people.""This is the day when I call on all Romanian citizens to honour the memory of the victims, to cherish their supreme sacrifice, and, at the same time, to reiterate our firm commitment to defending and protecting the rule of law, freedom, and fundamental rights," he said.He underscored that December 1989 opened the way for our country to democracy, allowed NATO integration, accession to the European Union, the conclusion of the Strategic Partnership with the United States, and the profile of Romania as a regional security provider."32 years ago, Romanians stood firm in the face of tanks and gunfire, driven by a single desire: the liberation of Romania from the dictatorship that brutally broke the democratic course of our country. The communist regime failed to annihilate the opposition of Romanians, to put consciences to sleep or kill hope! Many lived with the conviction that the horrors would end, there were brave people who acted and suffered for our country to regain its freedom," added Klaus Iohannis.In his opinion, the "nostalgia of communism that some want to cultivate" represents "a cynical attempt to exploit the justified fears and anxieties" of the Romanians, generated by the periods of uncertainty."In reality, however, communism has proved destructive and generated a sinister dictatorship, leading to Romania's backwardness and a major gap with Western Europe. The path of our country is inextricably linked to democratic values, and the mistakes that have been made in these three decades do not mean that we should be indulgent when looking at our recent past, but that we should be more responsible and careful in promoting policies that meet the needs of all our citizens," the head of state also emphasized.He also pleads for the knowledge of real history by the younger generations, noting that the struggle for freedom of the forerunners must be understood at its true value and continued permanently."Defending fundamental rights and European principles, with which we identify today, is a civic duty, from which we are not allowed to abdicate at any time," the President's message read.