BUCHAREST, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Saturday expressed her trust that Romanian society still has "sufficient resources for consensus, balance and political wisdom" in a message on the Centennial National Day.
"I address on this occasion to all Romanians a message of peace and unity...so that we promote our common interest as a European nation," said the prime minister.
"We celebrate today the National Day, in the Centennial Year, thinking of the unity of those who one hundred years ago believed in Romania's future and in the sacred duty that we have to be inspired from this accomplished ideal of our forefathers," she said in the message.
"The fact that we all want to live in a prosperous Romania, attached to European values and which maintains its national identity represents the best argument to unite our efforts in the interest of citizens and ours as a nation," Dancila added, stressing that political egos and personal interests have no place on this road.
The PM appealed to unity also in the perspective of Romania's taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. "Let us show that our country is prepared to fulfill with dignity this high responsibility! Let us unite our efforts so that the economic development of Romania allow the adoption of the euro in 2024. Let us be united so that the admission of Romania to the Schengen space be decided only on the mandatory technical criteria."
President Klaus Iohannis also emphasized the importance of solidarity, stressing late Friday at the National Day Reception held at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace that "the great victories of the nation are possible if we are united, not divided, if we have high aspirations, not personal goals."
The upper echelons of Romanian politics have long been discordant and politicians remain divided as the country celebrates 100 years since its Great Union. Analysts here believe that the struggle between the head of the state and the ruling Social Democratic Party has had a negative impact on the country's external image and internal development.
The Great Union on Dec. 1 of 1918 was and remains the most sublime event in Romanian history, which marks the unification of all provinces where the Romanians were in the majority.
The 1st of December as the National Day of Romania was established by the government in 1990.
