President Klaus Iohannis has given up the event on May 20, meant to commemorate the victims of the Romanian Revolution, after being criticized by various associations, including by some revolutionaries.
The President decided to postpone the homage to a later date, in order to eliminate any suspicion about the association of the Romanian Revolution with the election campaign, antena3.ro reports.
“In the last few days, there has been speculation about the opportunity to organize a solemn ceremony on May 20, at the Cotroceni Palace, 30 years after the Romanian Revolution of December 1989, so that 2019 was to be declared ‘The Year for commemorate the victims of communism’. In order to eliminate any suspicion about the association of the Romanian Revolution with the electoral period in which we are now and with deep respect for all those who fought for democracy and freedom in the years of communist tyranny, President Klaus Iohannis has decided to postpone the event for a later date. Since taking office, the President of Romania has consistently acted to condemn the crimes and abuses of the repressive apparatus of the communist regime, and to commemorate the victims of totalitarianism. President Klaus Iohannis believes that the lessons of the past cannot be ignored, and the correct assumption of history and of the horrors that communism has produced in Romania must represent for all of us a permanent civic exercise,” a release from the Presidential Administration reads.
The Government announced on Thursday the launch of the ‘30th anniversary of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989’ programme on June 6.