[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 20, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E456-E457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONGRATULATING PRESIDENT-ELECT NICUSOR DAN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 20, 2025

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the American people extend 
their congratulations to President-Elect Nicusor Dan on decisively 
winning the runoff election, as an independent, to become the President 
of Romania held on May 18, 2025.
  The President-elect's political career as the leader of the Save 
Romania Union (USR) party began in 2016, during his service in the 
Romanian Chamber of Deputies, then in 2020, went on to become the Mayor 
of Bucharest.
  His strong priorities of strengthening cooperation with the United 
States and the European Union demonstrates his suitability to be the 
right leader for the people of Romania. I have a personal appreciation 
for Romania with visits since 1997 where Cluj-Napoca was adopted as 
sister city of Columbia, South Carolina. I have visited numerous parts 
of the country with troops from South Carolina stationed at NATO 
facilities enduring the warm friendship of Americans for Romanians.
  There is a deep appreciation for President-Elect Dan and his 
commitment to promoting both academic and civil engagement in Romania, 
which dates back to his co-founding of the Scoala Normala Superioara 
Bucuresti, in 2001, modeled after the French Ecole Normale Superieure. 
Aiming to cultivate academic excellence in Romania, his commitment to 
furthering academic excellence in Romania, combined with his efforts to 
eliminate corruption and encourage fiscal reform nationwide, cements 
the strong policy foundation he will take with him as he enters office.
  My appreciation for the people of Romania is personal as I have seen 
firsthand how they have flourished since being liberated from the 
tyranny of the failed Soviet empire. As war criminal Putin attempts to 
rebuild the former Soviet Empire, I am grateful that Romania has taken 
a stand against them, siding with the democratic Rule of Law, which 
will always triumph over the authoritarian Rule of Gun.
  We cannot allow war criminal Putin to rebuild the failed former 
Soviet empire and nations like Romania will help us maintain Peace 
Through Strength across Europe and the rest of the world.
  This election is a powerful testament to democratic resilience in the 
face of neighboring warfare and criminal electoral manipulation.
  Romania continues to be a strong local supporter of the people of 
Ukraine in their struggle against the illegal invasion of woke war 
criminal Putin. I am eager for the United States to work with 
President-Elect Dan. In November of last year, Romania almost fell into 
the Russian sphere of influence, again, as the Kremlin instructed 
domestic actors to influence the first round of elections, which would 
have led to the rise of the Anti-American far-right.
  Thankfully, the Constitutional Court of Romania upheld the Rule of 
Law and ordered the election to be held once more with more integrity 
safeguards to be put into place. I commend the Court for ensuring that 
malign foreign influence, particularly from Russia, does

[[Page E457]]

not determine leadership in a reliable and important democratic ally to 
the United States.
  The Kremlin's attempts to subvert Romania's democracy are part of a 
broader campaign to weaken transatlantic cohesion. The United States 
unequivocally condemns these actions and supports coordinated sanctions 
and countermeasures to counter these criminal maneuvers.
  I look forward to President-Elect Dan being sworn-in during the 
coming weeks. The United States is proud to stand with the President-
Elect as a vital NATO ally and a democratic anchor on NATO's eastern 
flank.
  Romania's electoral course correction can serve as a blueprint for 
othel democracies under pressure from Russian tyranny, from Georgia to 
Ukraine. President-elect Dan's victory reaffirms that the democratic 
spirit cannot be extinguished by external sabotage or internal 
division. We wish him the best as he enters office and forms a 
government and counters the moves by our common enemy.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States wishes President-Elect Dan a warm 
congratulations and best of luck, or felicitari si mult noroc.

                          ____________________