28 years since the December 1989 Revolution
28 years after the uprising that triggered the fall of the Communist regime, Romanians still commemorate their heroes
Florentin Căpitănescu, 22.12.2017, 14:52
The violent break-up from the Communist regime, 28 years ago, and the dark spot Communism left on Romania’s destiny for more than four decades are back on the public agenda at the end of each year. Foretold by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the totalitarian regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, the removal of the dictatorial couple Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu and Romania’s final divorce from communism were not easy things to do.
Every year, the Romanian Parliament, as fundamental entity in the institutional architecture of democratic Romania, holds a solemn session in memory of the over 1,100 victims of communist repression.
This year, the string of speeches was opened by the Social Democrat deputy Adrian Paul Radu, vice-president of the parliamentary revolutionary committee: “The unique moments that marked the Revolution started in Timisoara, which we are recalling today, are just fragments of a historical truth that we are obliged to speak of. We must teach this truth to the younger generations, a truth that cannot be forgotten, out of respect for the heroes of the Revolution”.
The Liberal Senator Marcel Velea stated too that the Revolution heroes must be honored: “The Romanian Revolution defeated fear, beat the regime and raised a free nation. Sacrifice gave birth to democracy. We applaud the force of our nation, the courage and determination to fight for human dignity and defend our inalienable human rights.”
Senator Vlad Alexandrescu, a member of the Save Romania Union, said that the fight for a European Romania is a homage paid to the heroes of the 1989 Revolution: “Freedom, constitutional democracy, the rule of law, an independent justice system, integrity and accountability in exercising power, these are values that we must fight for in Romania, in order to truly honour the December Revolution, our Revolution”.
Religious ceremonies have been held these days in Bucharest and in other cities across the country and flower wreaths have been laid in University Square, the symbol of the fight against communism in Romania, and at the Revolution’s Heroes Cemetery.
Here is what one of the participants told the Radio Romania correspondent: “I lost my son, aged 19 and a half, and the pain will never fade away. They started something, which we have failed to carry on.”
Similar events have been held at the public radio and TV headquarters, the two institutions that played a major role in December 1989.(Edited by D. Vijeu)
