Academic environment takes stand in defending democracy ahead presidential runoffs

The University of Bucharest (UB) made a public appeal to the electorate on Wednesday, urging Romanians “to inform themselves as best as possible and to go to the polls in order to decide the future of Romania based on evidence and certainties regarding the candidates and their electoral offers and not on manipulations and populist promises”.

In a message published on the university’s website and on its Facebook page, the educational institution reiterates its “commitment to Romania’s Euro-Atlantic orientation and the democratic values ​​that are intrinsic to the Romanian state and the Romanian nation.”

The position of the University of Bucharest was made public after a decision of the Board of Directors on Wednesday, November 27.

“In times when important parts of Romanian society have sent a clear message against a way of governance and political practices that have constantly prevented Romania from reforming and modernizing in order to meet its expectations in the face of political, geopolitical, economic and social challenges, the University of Bucharest firmly reiterates its commitment to Romania’s Euro-Atlantic orientation and the democratic values ​​that are intrinsic to the Romanian state and the Romanian nation. We believe that sanctioning inefficiency in governance and the inequities generated at a social level must be done within the democratic system and by preserving Romania’s Euro-Atlantic orientation. Romania’s Euro-Atlantic orientation, as enshrined in the Constitution, in Art. 148 and 149, and reaffirmed in the Charter of the University of Bucharest, in Art. 5, as well as the fundamental values ​​they express, “the rule of law, democratic and social, respect for human dignity, the rights and freedoms of citizens, the free development of the human personality, justice and political pluralism”, represent supreme values, in the spirit of the democratic traditions of the Romanian people”, the University’s message reads.

The institution recalls the victims of legionarism and communism and calls for the ideals of the 1989 Revolution “to remain the only benchmark for reforming and modernizing the country”.

“We must not forget the tragedies and suffering caused in our history by the undemocratic, authoritarian, dictatorial regimes of the 20th century, nor the victims of legionarism and communism. The ideals of the Revolution of December 1989, too recent in history not to still resonate strongly in the consciousness of all of us, must remain today the only landmark on the path of reform and modernization of democratic Romania. Positioning itself outside any political affiliation, as is its mission, the University of Bucharest firmly rejects any form of dictatorship and remains fully committed to the development of a Romanian society based on the Euro-Atlantic values ​​of freedom, pluralism and the rule of law through its assumed research and educational missions”, the message published by UB reads.

The representatives of the University ask political parties for a better selection of their leaders and candidates in elections.

“We ask political parties to review their principles of selection and promotion of leaders and candidates in elections and of decision-makers in the administration system. To defend democracy and the Euro-Atlantic orientation and to avoid authoritarianism, Romania needs competent, democratic and efficient political leaders, but who understand the problems of the people, of society and propose realistic and humanistic solutions to solve them, not populist or messianic ones”. “We urge Romanians to inform themselves as well as possible and to go to the polls to decide the future of Romania based on evidence and certainties regarding the candidates and their electoral offers and not on manipulations and populist promises”, is the message with which the position statement of the University of Bucharest ends.

The UB message appears in the context of the street protests of the last two days, organized in Bucharest, in University Square, but also in other cities in the country, after the pro-Russian candidate and admirer of the legionnaires Călin Georgescu reached the second round of the elections for the position of President of Romania.

Ex-Church spokesman Bănescu criticizes priests who promoted Călin Georgescu

“First of all, what Christian values?” The former spokesman for the Romanian Orthodox Church criticized “those ordained clergy and especially monks” who “get involved and publicly declare their support for a politician in the election,” stating that this is “against a synodal decision.”

In his message about Călin Georgescu, Vasile Bănescu states that “Christianity is not intellectual and spiritual laziness, or a religion darkened by the shadows of political ideologies and magical pathologies of faith.”

In a Facebook post, Vasile Bănescu talks about Călin Georgescu, without naming him, but offering several statements by him. He wonders what “Christian values” the independent presidential candidate actually promotes.

“The fight against the evil of nano-chips treacherously slipped into soft drinks, in 5G, vaccines and demonic caesarean sections? Neutrality towards the criminal Aggressor from the East?

Romania’s utopian sovereignty and dystopian autarchism? The lethal “Russian wisdom” that invades and bombs sovereign states, threatening Europe with nuclear attacks? The Orthodoxy that marches the country’s “sons and daughters” to initiation camps in ultranationalist Orthodoxy with a legionary flavor?” He also asks what is the connection between the politician’s actions and Christianity. “The one degraded into Christianity of magical expression of epidermal faith that idolizes form and ignores content?” “The alternatives to this public manifestation of real faith express only politically and ideologically confiscated surrogates of Christianity or Orthodoxy, from which the Church, naturally, disavows itself,” says Bănescu.

Romanian Orthodox Church: We do not recommend supporting any political party or political ideology

The Romanian Orthodox Church, in a statement sent to Digi24.ro, states that priests must remain neutral during electoral campaigns, and that “political options will only be expressed privately, through secret ballots.” Those who make electoral appeals violate “the oath taken at ordination” and “will have to choose between a political career and a clerical mission.”

“The cleric or monk who gets involved in the politics of any party as a member or candidate, but also by supporting a candidate, violates the covenant made at ordination and will have to choose between a political career and the clerical mission/monastic life. Such violations will be judged in the Diocesan Consistories“, emphasizes the BOR.

The official reaction of the BOR comes after information appeared on social networks that several priests from several areas encouraged parishioners to support Călin Georgescu.