The Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) has shown many times that it can be a responsible partner in the government and the local administration, and this is what we need in the coming period - responsibility, collaboration - and I am counting on the UDMR for this thing, Prime Minister and chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Ilie Bolojan said.

The Prime Minister attended on Friday, as a guest, the 17th Congress of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania.

'I am honored to be present today at your Congress. (...) Throughout the post-communist period, the UDMR has been a constant presence in the Romanian politics. During this years of transition, in moments of crisis or reconstruction, your party played an important role in the public life, with the UDMR endorsing the democratic values and Western path of Romania. Today, the UDMR not only represents the Hungarian community, but it is also a part of the governing coalition. For that, I thank Mr Kelemen Hunor and the UDMR leadership for supporting the programme assumed by the Government and the coalition. This type of governance, especially in the difficult situation we are in, forces us to be politically mature and maintain a constant dialogue, and the UDMR knows how to be both a partner and a pragmatic political force,' Ilie Bolojan said.

The Prime Minister underscored that the period we are going through is one of historic changes, with major internal and external challenges.

'In order to progress, Romania needs a stable, efficient and coherent government. This is a moment when we need to move pass the political noise and focus on the results. We must place our economy on solid foundations, bring order to public finances and restore the respect for values in the Romanian society. This is the project we must assume in the long-term,' Bolojan mentioned.

He pointed out that the current governing coalition managed, in a just few months in office, to approve urgent measures to solve economic imbalances and correct social injustices, but added that 'there is still much to be done.'

'It is appropriate for me to thank the UDMR ministers and secretaries of state for what they do in the Government and, especially for the collaboration in the economic reform drafts and in the administration ones,' the PM added.

He also highlighted the good collaboration he had at the local administration level as mayor of Oradea and president of the Bihor County Council (CJ) with his Hungarian colleagues over the years, in Oradea, in Bihor county and across the country.

'Over these years, I learned that a community is stronger when it manages to transform multiethnic, multireligious diversity into a resource and in a potential, and not in a barrier and a boundary. I thank the Hungarian community for the contribution brought to the development of our country and for the rich heritage they left us! If Oradea has a strong profile and developed over the years, it is because of this legacy which I have tried, as a mayor in a multiethnic and multireligious community, to preserve and capitalize on, thus contributing to protect the identity of local communities,' Ilie Bolojan said.

In this context, he underscored that the UDMR has been and remains a bridge between Romania and Hungary, contributing to the good relations between the two countries.

'Mr Prime Minister [Hungary's PM Viktor Orban] our countries are connected through people, history and economy, but also through the responsibility we have together to contribute to making this part of Europe a space of stability and prosperity, and that means mutual collaboration and respect between our countries and I assure you of the availability of Romania's Government to follow this path, as we also discussed at the first meeting we had,' Bolojan said.

In his closing speech, the prime minister voiced his belief in Romania's future, as a prosperous country, based on local development and respect among people and communities.

'The UDMR shown many times that it can be a responsible partner in the government and the local administration, and we need this thing in the coming period - responsibility, collaboration - and I am counting on the UDMR for this thing. I believe in the future of Romania, a prosperous country where the local development and the respect among people and communities form its foundation. I wish you, as well as Mr Chairman Kelemen Hunor, much success today and in the future! May God help us!,' Bolojan concluded. AGERPRES(RO - writing by: Daniel Florea; EN - writing by: Rodica State)