What do the people who went to the December 1st parade want to see changed in Romania. “Let's be more united, let's not have so much hatred between us”

Thousands of people watched the National Day military parade in Bucharest. Some with pride, others dissatisfied with the organization, as they themselves told HotNews. Several people who were present at the Arc de Triomphe parade told Hotnews what they would like to be different in Romania.

More than 2,900 soldiers and specialists of MApN, MAi, SRI and SPP, as well as foreign soldiers paraded in the Capital on Monday, together with more than 220 technical means. The military parade lasted about an hour and was watched by thousands of people.

HotNews talked to some participants to find out what impression the event left on them, and what they would change about their country.

Andrei Morar is 19 years old, from Suceava, but studies in Bucharest. He studies sacred art at the Faculty of Theology.

“Honestly, I thought it was an emotional moment. Or maybe not necessarily emotional, but solemn. It gives me a sense of pride when I see the military. There are so many people who you know are there to protect you in case of something,” says the student. It's the first military parade he's seen.

What would he change in Romania if he could? The young man thinks for a while before answering, then says bluntly: “Let's be more united, let's not have so much hatred between us.”

“A scourge from which we have not escaped”

A colleague from my generation, also 19 years old, also a student, but at the Faculty of History, Ștefan Enache, sees things similarly.

“It was beautiful. A very interesting deployment of military technique. We are still waiting for the Romanian army to be equipped properly, because that saying “Si vis pacem, para bellum” (“If you want peace, prepare for war” – n. ed.)”, says the student.

He said he was disappointed the planes couldn't participate in the parade because of the weather because he would have liked to see an F-16. Instead, he enjoyed the rest of the parade.

“I feel proud, but also safe. I feel safe when I see that we have an army that guarantees our national security. But speaking of pride…if I could change something in Romania, it would be the problem of corruption. I know it's a generic answer, but it's a scourge that we haven't escaped from, but which is a constant presence in Romanian society,” explains the young man.

“If we love each other more, we will be a strong nation”

Ștefan Oanța, professor of economics, says that the parade should be an occasion for people to think about heroes.

“We must think about all the known or unknown martyrs of the Romanian nation. We must think about ourselves and those who will come after us. If today we are a united country – Moldova, Transylvania and Wallachia, this is due to all our ancestors. I think this moment must remind us of our anthem,” explains the professor.

He says that he would not want to change anything in Romania, but would like Romanians to love their neighbor.

“We must not forget that beyond the political and religious orientations, we are Romanian brothers and under the tricolor we are the same nation. I would not want to change anything, but through my profession, as a teacher, I would instill in every Romanian to love his neighbor. If we love each other more, we will be a strong nation. The enemies are beyond the borders, not within them,” concluded the teacher.

“The parade seems to me to be a facade”

Not all participants were satisfied with the military parade. Simion Dascălu, a reserve colonel of the Air Force, says that the organization was not good at all. The main reason is that people's access was, he believes, difficult. Apart from the organizational aspects, he does not like the new military technique.

“I'm sad because foreign military equipment is being used. We have less and less Romanian equipment. But this way, the parade seems to me to be staged, it seems to me that it's a facade, let's check the idea and that's it. Well, it's a shame, we look now and see that there is only one wreath at the Arc de Triomphe”, says the military man.

Simion Dascălu believes that at the moment there is a lack of stability in Romania, and this is due to the political class.

“It's like you've built something, let's take the Arc de Triomphe as an example. Well, it has two points of stability, because otherwise that top part wouldn't be able to stand, right? Similarly, man needs these things, stability, so that from here he can build a family, a house, a career and so on. But if you don't find them, you're in instability and of course then you tremble,” says the reserve officer.

Nicusor Dan, two hours in the middle of people

In parallel, the president Nicușor Dan stayed after the parade to take pictures with the people. Surrounded by SPP officers, the president spent almost two hours among the people.

Some of them didn't understand in the first instance why the crowd was gathering and what's with so many cameras. Among the puzzled ones was a child, who asked his father if the one in the middle is “Nicușor”. The father was quick to correct him, probably because of the context: “It's Mr. President, that's what they say.”

Not only Romanians took pictures with the president, but also foreign citizens, who curiously asked around who it was.

“It's a day of celebration, let's not do politics”

At the end, before leaving, Nicușor Dan accepted a few questions from the media. One of them was repeated, and it was related to the resignation of Ionuț Moșteanu from the head of the Ministry of National Defense.

The president was asked if he would get involved in the appointment of Moșteanu's successor. In response, Nicușor Dan said that this is not the time for political discussions. “It's a day of celebration, let's not do politics.”