Holocaust Remembrance Day in Romania

On 8 October Romanian President Klaus Iohannis spoke at the remembrance event held at the Monument of the Victims of the Holocaust in Romania.

The President underlined that any form of intolerance, racism, hatred and discrimination are threats to democracy and added that the temptations of populism and racism risk being revived against the background of the refugee crisis.

"Now, when thousands of refugees knock on our continent's doors, the temptations of populism and racism risk being revived.... I am convinced we can overcome this complicated situation together and successfully cope with it," Iohannis said.

He stressed it was for the first time he was coming to the Memorial in his capacity as president of Romania, and voiced hope that the future Romanian heads of state would come back there so as to remind everybody that the Holocaust is unique and cannot be forgotten.

"This place was by no means accidentally chosen, it is located at the heart of Bucharest and near a public institution. It has the very mission to emphasise the responsibility of the Romanian state in the inhuman acts, based on ethnic and race grounds, committed in the years of World War Two," Iohannis said, adding that the Holocaust had been concealed to the Romanians in the communist years.

Also attending the event were the Speaker of the Deputies' Chamber Valeriu Zgonea, Foreign Minister Bodgan Aurescu, presidential advisors, parliamentarians — among whom deputy Aurel Vainer, representing the Jewish community, as well as U.S. ambassador Hans Klemm, Russian ambassador Oleg Malginov and Director of Elie Wiesel Institute Alexandru Florian.

In 2016 Romania will chair the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Photo: Holocaust Memorial wreath-laying ceremony on the occasion of the National Day of Commemorating the Holocaust in Romania. Cristian Nistor/ Agerpres Photo