[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 189 (Wednesday, November 29, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ROMANIAN NATIONAL DAY--DECEMBER 1

                                 ______


                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 29, 1995

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, on the eve of Romania's National Day on 
December 1, I would like to take a few moments to recognize the strides 
it has made since overthrowing communism just a mere 5 years ago.
  Romania, like many of its neighbors, rejoiced when it was finally 
able to break free of communism and join the West. Having lived through 
some very rough years of a Stalinist inspired dictatorship, the 
Romanian people and their government are firmly dedicated to 
establishing a modern democracy.
  Once obtaining its new-found freedoms, Mr. Speaker, Romania went on 
to achieve a number of firsts. For example, in 1989, Romania became the 
first country in central Europe to adopt a new Constitution, approved 
by a new, freely elected Parliament and by national referendum. Romania 
was also the first country in the region to have three rounds of free 
elections in 6 years, including parliamentary, presidential, and local. 
Finally, Romania achieved the distinction of being the first central 
European nation to join the Partnership for Peace [PFP] on January 26, 
1994.
  I am pleased to note, Mr. Speaker, that the Romania Government 
regards its bilateral relationship with the United States to be very 
special, and is intent on developing an intense cooperation in all 
fields with the United States--political, military, economic, and 
cultural. For example, at my invitation on behalf of the Congressional 
Research Service Task Force on International Parliamentary Programs. 
Mr. Adrian Nastase, President of the Romanian Parliament--equivalent to 
our Speaker of the House--is currently leading a delegation to 
Washington to institute modernization techniques for running the 
Romanian Parliament.
  The Romanian Parliament is currently busy debating a law on political 
parties, and several other bills--on competition, on real estate 
promotion, on a forest code, on labor protection--demonstrating that 
democracy is hard at work in Romania. Ironically enough, when recently 
asked which issue is currently the most important one before the 
Romanian Parliament President Nastase answered that the budget has 
taken precedence before all other political issues. I guess some things 
do not change from Parliament to Parliament, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Central and Eastern Europe experienced 
tremendous hope with the fall of the Iron Curtain. The people of these 
countries and their governments are now facing the sobering challenges 
to build anew a free and modern state. On the occasion of Romania's 
National Day, I congratulate Romania for its accomplishments to date 
and join with my colleagues to wishing Romania well in its future.

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