“The political force that will stop the neo-Marxist madness comes from Bucharest”: An interview with George Simion

George Simion is an economist and historian who is well acquainted with the crimes of communism. He is member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, president and founder of the AUR party (Alianța pentru Unirea Românilor – Alliance for the Union of Romanians), which today is fighting for the lead in the presidential and European elections in 2024.

José Papparelli: Since the fall of communism in 1989, your country's citizens have made gradual progress in building a free and democratic society. However, the traditional parties have failed to put an end to a problem as serious as corruption, which affects, among others, the lower class. Today, your party has the opportunity to become the main political force, both in the European elections and in next year's general election. What are your priorities and the ways to change the situation in Romania?

George Simion: Present-day Romania is a captive state, a state strangled by its two main parties, the social democrats and the liberals, who have brought it to the edge of the abyss. We urgently need a radical and fundamental transformation. Our party, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which we founded less than 4 years ago and which holds 10% of the seats in the Romanian Parliament, is currently the only genuine opposition force.

A few months ago, we launched a national government Programme called “Rebuilding Romania”. To this day, we are the only party that has “dared” to announce a series of measures and initiatives through which we will change Romania for the better. I would like to mention some of the 15 points of our Programme: “Exploiting natural resources and strategic companies”; “Ensuring energy security and reindustrialising Romania”; “Made in Romania”; “Tackling the population decline - encouraging the birth rate and the family”; “Reviving the Romanian village and the peasant household”; “Protecting our identity and our natural environment”.

Our commitment is that the AUR government will rebuild Romania and raise the standard of living to the average level of the European Union. Romanians are in no way inferior to other citizens of the Member States and do not deserve to be treated differently. Moreover, the stubbornness and virulence with which Austria refuses to accept us into the Schengen area has no justification whatsoever.

You mentioned Schengen. To what extent would Romania's accession to the border-free area improve the economic situation?

Romania is legally bound to become part of Schengen by the Accession Treaty it signed in 2005. Moreover, for many years now, our country has fulfilled all those technical criteria. As you know, unanimity is required for a state to join Schengen. Today, we are in a very unpleasant situation of being held at the Schengen door by Austria, which misinforms and invokes false reasons against Romania and Bulgaria.

Of course, our accession would have substantial economic benefits. First of all, the abolition of border controls will mean a considerable decrease in travel time, for operators transporting various goods and for tourists as well. It is well known that carriers today wait tens of hours at borders, causing the most serious problems in terms of supply or production. Romania outside the Schengen area is less integrated in a Union in which we have been for over 16 years. It is unacceptable and a serious insult to Romania how Austria continues to express its opposition to our accession.

Let's go back to the Romanian political scene. Are there currently other Romanian political forces with which AUR can come to an agreement to build a more prosperous, peaceful and free Romania?

From the very beginning, we have said that AUR will make an alliance only with Romanian people. And we will keep our word! We are ready for AUR to form the government in 2024. This is what we promised to the Romanians and this is what we have to do.

As for the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party, which have governed our country, separately or together, in the last thirty years, they are precisely those that have led Romania to the economic and social disaster we are in. These two parties are to blame - perhaps not the only ones, but they are certainly the main ones accountable for the current situation.

In order to rebuild Romania, AUR needs as many votes as possible from Romanians living in our country and abroad. Let’s take a look at what happened in Hungary and the success Fidesz enjoyed in its last parliamentary elections - a true model in terms of transforming a country on a sovereignist and conservative basis.

Speaking of Hungary, last month the President of Romania paid a visit to Budapest. How do you comment on it?

My country has had the misfortune - a term our head of state himself used in a completely unfortunate and embarrassing context for him - to be led by Klaus Iohannis since 2014. This man has “earned” himself a huge disrespect at an international level. The most recent example is his very visit to the capital of Hungary. On the day that the President of Romania was on an official visit to Budapest, Prime Minister Orban, the real leader of Hungary, arranged a foreign trip in a most convenient manner. This is how much consideration world leaders show Klaus Iohannis. 2024 will also be the year in which the most mediocre president in Romania's history ends his second and last term.

Earlier you mentioned Romanians living beyond your national borders. In order to achieve a good electoral result and to carry out your political programme, it is very important to attract the numerous “Romanian diaspora”, as well as the ethnic and even religious minorities in your country. What does AUR propose to bring them into the political project?  

It is true - we have, and I am not happy to admit this, a very large diaspora. More than six million Romanian citizens live outside Romania. We could say, without exaggeration, that a second Romania is beyond Romania. There are many reasons why Romanian emigration is so numerous, but foremost is the economic reason. The cause of this phenomenon is, first of all, the difference between the standard of living and income compared to the countries of Western Europe, a reality that AUR has the responsibility to change.

One of our most important policies will be to reduce the exodus and accelerate the repatriation of Romanians, making it easier for them to have a better life at home. As I told you earlier, our goal is to raise the standard of living to at least the EU average. To help them return home, Romanians need predictability, security and better incomes. This is what we will have to do.

Indeed, we strongly need the support of Romanians everywhere. What is very encouraging for us is that AUR is seen as the only alternative and everyone’s hope. AUR is the party of Romanians, wherever they are.

You also mentioned minorities living in Romania. We believe that the state has an obligation to ensure protection and respect for the cultural, ethnic and linguistic identity of everyone.  We unequivocally support the constitutional and legitimate rights of every person belonging to national minorities. It is no coincidence that we have, among our members, many colleagues of a different ethnicity than Romanian. We are happy to have them among us and we will welcome all those who share our values and ideals. 

A new Romania, the one AUR wants and will build, needs everyone.

Speaking of Romanians abroad, the rapprochement with Moldova is another of your political objectives. What steps have been taken in this direction and on what does understanding and progress with Moldova depend in the common construction of the future of both peoples?

The only common future for Romania and Republic of Moldova is reunification. A Great Romania again in a European Union of sovereign states cooperating economically. This is our main political and historical goal.

In 1940, as a result of the infamous pact signed by the foreign ministers of Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia, the Romanian people were divided, a painful reality that we have an obligation to put an end to and to reunite our nation. The border between Romania and the Republic of Moldova is over 680 km long, an unjust demarcation that should never have existed. When Moldova across the Prut River returns to where it belongs, that is, within Romania's borders, we will have fulfilled an existential ideal. Romania is the homeland of Romanians both sides of the Prut. 

In concrete terms, in order to ensure that effective reunification takes place as easily and coherently as possible, we will develop policies to unify everything from transport infrastructure, health and educational system, services and so on.

Let us remember that, a few months ago, the Parliament in Chisinau voted on a project whereby Romanian was declared the official language. Even if it meant, in fact, implementing a ruling given by the Constitutional Court in 2013, it was a true act of justice and historical reparation.

I'll tell you something else. Today almost half of the Moldovan population also holds Romanian citizenship. The Republic of Moldova is a unique case in Europe. Of all EU’s external neighbours, Moldova has the highest percentage of citizens of a Member State, which is, of course, Romania. Probably, in less than a year, Romanian - and, therefore, European - citizens of the Republic of Moldova will become the majority.

To sum up, the future of Bucharest and Chisinau can only be a common future. Romanians on both sides of the Prut River have the right to national unity.

Can the reunification of Romania with Moldova be a condition for stability in this part of Europe?

Absolutely. We must overthrow this arbitrary division dictated by two of history's greatest tyrants, Hitler and Stalin, and contribute, through our reunification as a nation, to ensuring geopolitical balance and stability in south-eastern Europe.

A genuinely national force such as AUR can create the conditions for such a historical endeavor.

AUR is a patriotic party, sharing conservative values such as “Family, Nation, Faith and Freedom”. We have recently seen the support received from many MEPs, both from the Identity and Democracy (ID) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) groups. The upcoming European elections will be crucial in defining the direction of the European Union. What will the AUR propose to build an alternative bloc in the EU, taking into account both conservative and identitarian “political families”?

Indeed, we have made no secret of it: we have very good relations with both ECR and ID representatives. We have always discussed and been open to dialogue with all those who defend and pursue the same cause as we do.  

Our key interest is that from June 2024, we will join the sovereignist forces which will have a significant weight in the next Parliament. Some say that unity at European level is an unattainable goal. It is true, there are some sensitive issues that complicate such an endeavor.

On the other hand, we are in a situation that does not offer us many options. We believe that in such a war - a cultural war, if you like - only the widest possible alliance can succeed in the face of an enemy of such fantastic capability as globalism with all its ramifications. In such a context, what must prevail, from our point of view, will be to do everything in our power, in the European Parliament and everywhere else, to prevent the neo-Marxist madness from taking total control of Europe. Otherwise, we risk losing our freedom and everything that defines our very existence.

The geopolitical map of Eastern Europe has been complicated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. There are also historical disputes between various nations in the region, still unsolved, that make it difficult to reach agreement on issues where there should be none, such as the defence of European and Western identity, the family, national sovereignty and opposition to “woke” policies, climate fanaticism and other issues affecting people's freedoms. What is your vision for resolving these issues?

As I mentioned before, we must search for all possible ways and options to work together to agree on a common strategy. The enemy has many faces. Whether it is the Green Deal agenda that threatens our energy security, the climate change hysteria, gender ideology or woke nonsense, all these threats to our traditional way of life make it necessary for us to react and fight back.

In order to defend our rights and freedoms and to preserve our national identity and sovereignty, we will have to win this most difficult war. It is not only about us, but above all about the generations to come and the preservation of an existential heritage.

Before concluding, please tell us how you see the outcome of the European elections in June 2024 as far as the AUR party is concerned. What will happen after 9 June 2024 in terms of the conservative forces in Brussels?

As you said, the upcoming European Parliament elections are extremely important. Today we are in a position to win these elections and we will do everything to achieve this goal. Very important public figures will join us in the near future.

We expect to get at least 10-12 MEP seats - out of the total 33 that Romania is entitled to. We need to send a strong signal. Romanians are tired of seeing only spineless politicians in the European Parliament. They want patriots who fight strong for their nation and who defend those values worth sacrificing for.

June 2024 will be a defining moment not only for Romania, but also for the other Member States. Expectations are very high. Only combined efforts in the next European Parliament will give us the necessary strength to annihilate the danger of progressivism. I strongly believe in a new EU - one with father and mother, not “parent 1” and “parent 2”, a EU in which we cooperate as equals and we are the ones making decisions for ourselves.

On the other hand, however, this election must act as a stepping-stone, because it is only the first of a very large electoral cycle - all four rounds of elections to be held next year in Romania. I don't think anyone is surprised by our rise, because we are the only responsible party that is working day and night for Romanians.

At the same time, I admit that we do not aim to win the local elections, but we must succeed in the parliamentary elections and, of course, the presidential ones. Only if AUR provides the next Romanian president will we be able to change this irresponsible government and reverse those decisions that have brought Romania to the brink and turned it into a laughing stock on the international stage.

The interview was published originally in Spanish "Lo que detendrá la locura neomarxista viene de Bucarest” - Disidentia