The communist regime was "a thug" that led to the "moral and political destruction of the nation," and its harmful effects, which are still felt today, in everyday life, must be strongly fought against by consolidating democracy, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said in a speech to a solemn joint meeting of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the November 15, 1987 anti-Communist uprising in Brasov.

"Today's solemn meeting must be seen and understood by the entire society as an indisputable proof that the Romanian state recognises the suffering caused to its own citizens by the communist regime in Romania, a political regime that was both oppressive and criminal. (...) 35 years ago, the workers of the Red Flag enterprise showed supreme courage as they opposed an absurd and unjust power with the inherent right to dignity of any human being," said Ciuca.

He added that the anti-Communist uprising of the workers in Brasov is a "defining moment" in Romania's recent history because it marked the beginning of the end of the communist regime in the country.

"For the sacrifice they made, for all the suffering they went through, the whole nation thanks those who had the courage to show the whole world that freedom and human dignity can never be limited by oppression."

Ciuca pointed out that after 35 years, the symbolic meaning of the anti-Communist uprising of the workers in Brasov has not diminished or been lost, but has been enriched with new meanings.

"November 15, 1987 must be remembered by the state bodies. They are under an obligation to support and promote commemorative events like today's. The memory of evil protects us from its return, and the memory of the fight against evil gives us hope and prepares us to face it when it appears. First of all, the anti-Communist uprising of the workers in Brasov reminds us that the communist regime in Romania was a criminal one because it sought to destroy the freedom and dignity of a nation through oppression, suspicion and violence. We must say this very clearly: the communist regime was an executioner and the Romanian people were its victims. Let us never forget that. To the same extent, like all other totalitarian regimes, the communist regime led to the moral and political destruction of the nation. In Romania, the harmful effects of communism are felt even today, in everyday life. We are under an obligation to continue fighting against them with all our might."

He added that the best form of defence against any form of authoritarianism is the consolidation of constitutional democracy within a democratic, European society. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)