On Friday evening, at the Palace of the Parliament, during the opening of the 'Europe - Identity, Vision, Education' Forum, George Simion, chairman of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), highlighted that the solution for Europe's future, as proposed in the meeting's manifesto, belongs to its peoples and nations.

'We find ourselves in a building that witnessed the end of the communist dictatorship in Romania, as well as the difficult rebirth of Romanian democracy, a democracy in Romania that is dying, slowly but surely. The history of this building lends weight to the subject we are here to discuss: freedom, sovereignty, and a nation's power to choose its own path. Europe was built by nations that had endured war. Robert Schuman [a founder of the EU] understood that peace and prosperity could be secured through cooperation. This was a historic achievement, and it deserves to be preserved. Yet, what is currently happening within the European Union is unacceptable. Cooperation loses its meaning when the institutions created to serve nations begin to treat those very nations as obstacles,' stated Simion.

He explained that the Eurosfat Forum, held on Thursday and Friday in Bucharest, and the 'Europe - Identity, Vision, Education' Forum, organized by AUR and taking place from November 13 to 15 at the Palace of the Parliament, have 'different visions.'

'We are here, in the Parliament of Romania, to present our vision for a Europe of sovereign nations. (...) There is a reason why so many European citizens are turning away from the parties that have governed for decades. The fact that they label us as extremists, nationalists, and populists does not make the underlying reasons for this disappear. What are these people asking for? They are asking for affordable energy, secure borders, and safe streets. They are asking for jobs that allow them to start and support a family in their own country, in their own homes. They are asking for peace, and for a culture they can pass on to their children. These are not extravagant demands. They are the fundamental responsibilities of a government,' added Simion.

He mentioned the protest supported by AUR and scheduled for Saturday in front of the Palace of the Parliament.

'Tomorrow (Saturday) we have a protest, and the authorities are trying to ban it. We are increasingly becoming a dictatorship. We have political prisoners held in jails in Romania. Television channels have been banned, leaving only those that are pro-government. And, as you know, here in Romania, elections have been annulled. And this is not happening only in Romania (...) Here in Romania, the cost of the collapse in public trust is painfully familiar. (...) These so-called European elites, who have brought us to the brink of bankruptcy, will destroy the Old Continent. Our solution is common sense, not 'people's democracies,' not 'people's capitalism.' (...) Our solution is to focus on prosperity, identity, secure borders, our factories, our economies, and friendship. That is why, this Saturday and Sunday, we are hosting 70 bilateral friendship groups. Because our goal is global peace,' Simion explained.

The AUR leader maintains that the 'will' to change Europe transcends borders and begins at the forum organized by AUR. He announced that the Manifesto for a Europe of Sovereign Nations will be launched during the meeting.

'We, on the other hand, have the right to propose a different future for Romania, a different future for our countries, and a different future for Europe. Because Europe, as this manifesto states, does not belong to a Commission President, nor to a political family or a bureaucracy. It belongs to its peoples and nations. The desire to change Europe transcends borders, and it will begin here. Welcome to our Europe,' added George Simion.

The 'Europe - Identity, Vision, Education' forum, organized by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), includes conferences, debates, and roundtables dedicated to current issues, ranging from the future of the continent and national sovereignty to international relations and economic and technological transformations. The event is taking place from Friday to Sunday at the Palace of the Parliament.

The forum brings together members of parliament, Members of the European Parliament, members of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) party, members of the Polish trade union Solidarity, ambassadors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of civil society, with over 200 guests from abroad.

Among the guests are ECR President Adam Bielan, ECR Secretary-General Antonio Giordano, Roundtable CEO James Heckman, Croatian MP Kresimir Cabaj (representing the DOMiNO party), former Vice-President of the European Parliament Ryszard Czarnecki, and William B. Donahue, President of the College Republicans of America.

The forum, which will feature over 180 speakers from more than 55 countries, includes various panels dedicated to young people, the future of Europe, and the Republic of Moldova, where a public opinion barometer will be presented, as well as to administrative reform, national minorities, and persons with disabilities. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Livia Popescu;EN - writing by: Catalin Cristian Trandafir)