[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 94 (Wednesday, July 15, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1301]]



           TRIBUTE TO ROMANIAN PRESIDENT EMIL CONSTANTINESCU

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE PARKER

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 15, 1998

  Mr. PARKER. Mr. Speaker, for the Record I would like to submit a 
statement of tribute by my former House colleague David Funderburk to 
Romania's President who is visiting Washington this week.

A Tribute to Romanian President Emil Constantinescu on the Occasion of 
                  His Visit to Washington in July 1998

                         (By David Funderburk)

       Emil Constantinescu has been described as Romania's 
     ``Vaclav Havel.'' There are many reasons why Constantinescu 
     should be classed together with Vaclav Havel the Czech 
     dissident hero of the communist era.
       Admittedly as a friend of Constantinescu I am not a 
     completely unbiased observer. And after spending two years 
     living in Romania during the 1970's and four years during the 
     1980's in Ceausescu's time, I never thought I would see a 
     democratic President of Romania. For a few years following 
     the end of the Ceausescus I looked with skepticism on some of 
     the transitional figures of the country. Also I wondered how 
     many of those new voices who seemed to be jumping on the 
     democratic reform and free market bandwagon were for real. 
     Emil Constantinescu has proven that he is for real.
       Emil Constantinescu is the first truly democratic President 
     of Romania after 42 years of harsh communism and 7 years of 
     stagnation following the demise of Nicolae and Elena 
     Ceausescu.
       Constantinescu is enlightened, well educated, pro-American, 
     and a man of integrity with a historical sense of purpose for 
     his people and their future.
       The leading interwar political party--the National Peasant 
     & Christian Democrats--emerged from the ashes of communism 
     under the leadership of Corneliu Coposu, a giant figure who 
     had been imprisoned under Ceausescu. Coposu, who was a 
     national symbol of integrity and sacrifice for freedom, 
     designated as the party's standard-bearer in both 1992 and 
     1996 the little known Geology professor and Rector of the 
     University of Bucharest, Dr. Emil Constantinescu. During the 
     transition period in Romania under Iliescu, Constantinescu 
     gained political experience in his role as a leader of the 
     opposition.
       Romania's ``Havel'' Emil Constantinescu has in fact 
     accomplished the following:
       Led Romania to its first real democratic election victory 
     in 1996 and peaceful transition with a platform incorporating 
     the core values of Western civilization. And Constantinescu 
     initiated the coalition Democratic Convention program called 
     the ``Contract with Romania.''
       Presided as a populist President living a spartan existence 
     and working long hours in the midst of hardship for many 
     workers in the country. He receives only a token salary and 
     drives a small inconspicuous car without the motorcade 
     fanfare of his predecessors;
       Led an activist campaign to permanently tie Romania to the 
     West, NATO and the U.S. (whose support Romania needs for its 
     NATO aspirations). He has helped ensure that romania takes a 
     leadership role in the Partnership for Peace collaboration. 
     He helped lead the Romanians in giving U.S. President Bill 
     Clinton in 1997 his biggest reception anywhere up to that 
     time. And the same Romanians have indicated the highest level 
     of support for NATO and partnership with America of any of 
     the peoples of Eastern Europe;
       Met with regional and other world leaders to demonstrate 
     his determination to make Romania a peaceful island of 
     stability in the volatile region. His outreach to the 
     Hungarian minority and to neighboring Hungary as well as to 
     neighboring Ukraine have been models of cooperation in the 
     region;
       Helped guide Romania through its most difficult economic 
     crisis in the post-communist period by calmly accentuating 
     the positive, and focusing on the big picture of Romania's 
     goals of Western partnership and peace. His leadership has 
     helped produce political stability and project optimism in 
     the face of a not-always-supportive coalition government.
       There is no doubt that Romania has some distance to travel 
     before it's on a par with the West in terms of economic 
     reform and even political stability. More needs to be done to 
     make the investment climate attractive to U.S. companies and 
     to complete the implementation of the economic reforms.
       But change has been coming--gradually, steadily, 
     inexorably. And most remarkably Romania has come a very long 
     way since Ceausescu. Romania was left in about the worst 
     possible position to reform with a Stalinist command economy, 
     central planning and virtually no private sector.
       The steady hand of Constantinescu's leadership has helped 
     guide Romania as it goes through the toughest transition in 
     Eastern Europe, without bloodshed, revolt or diversion from 
     the NATO-integration course. Constantinescu is a visionary 
     leader who focuses on the big picture of Romania's place in 
     the world, and strives to help fulfill the dreams of ordinary 
     Romanians to be given recognition, acceptance and respect by 
     the West particularly by the U.S. Since we have the benefit 
     of such a leader in Bucharest, we should move quickly during 
     this visit to assist Constantinescu and Romania.
       Washington--from the White House to Capitol Hill to the 
     business community and media--has a special moment in history 
     to do the right thing by this new Romania. Let's show our 
     appreciation to President Emil Constantinescu and Romania and 
     show our recognition for their historic longings, their 
     geopolitical and strategical value to peace, and political 
     stability in the region.
       Let's take advantage of this special opportunity and 
     welcome the new democratic President Emil Constantinescu--
     ``Romania's Havel''--to Congress, the White House and 
     America. It's something we will not regret.

     

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