La Présidente du Parlement européen, Roberta Metsola, a reçu le Prix de Timișoara pour les valeurs européennes. Dans son discours de remerciement, la Présidente Metsola a déclaré que ce prix représente non seulement une responsabilité, mais aussi un rappel que l’Europe ne doit jamais être considérée comme acquise.
Dear Mayor, dear Dominic, Dear Minister, Dear fellow Members of the European Parliament, Dear Ambassadors, Distinguished guests, Dear Europeans, Bună ziua Timișoara. It is a pleasure to be back in Romania, and I am delighted to be here in Timișoara. A city that shaped not only Romania’s story, but Europe’s too. Last week, we saw Europe on the streets of Timișoara and Bucharest. People wrapped in European flags, chanting, and celebrating Romania’s place at the heart of our Union. Yesterday in Bucharest, I had the pleasure of meeting with President-elect Dan, and I congratulated him on his election victory. I know that he shares the belief that Europe is more than just geography. Like those on the streets last week, and all of us here today, we know Europe is a home of shared values. A choice. A belief in freedom, in dignity, in justice. It is something we live and breathe, not just something we inherit. A promise that we pass forward. A project that we build, together, every single day. Europe was forged by people who refused to accept the status quo, who dared to believe in something better. People who chose hope over fear, unity over division, possibility over pessimism. Few cities embody that European spirit more than Timișoara. A city of pioneers, of courage, of hope. A city that started the revolution of 1989. A city that knows the cost of freedom - and the power of new beginnings. This is why I am deeply honoured that the city of Timișoara has awarded the European Parliament this recognition for European Values. I would like to thank the people of Timișoara, and especially your mayor Dominic Fritz. Dear Dominic, I don’t think you would have left my office in 2022 without me promising you that I would come to Timișoara, so here I am. Otherwise you’d still be there, I have no doubt. And I want to tell you, dear friends, that you have a mayor who has amazing leadership, exceptional vision, and one of the strongest commitments to Europe I’ve ever seen. Congratulations. Thank you for making Europe local. And let me also pay tribute to this year’s distinguished jury, who reflect the richness, the wealth, of Romania’s civic, political and cultural life. This award belongs to you. I accept this honour on behalf of the European Parliament, of my fellow Members, and all those working every day to defend the values that unite us as Europeans. Because this award is more than a recognition - it is a responsibility. A reminder that Europe, and the values that we stand for, can never be guaranteed. That they must be defended every day. The European Union is not perfect. It is, and always will be, a work in progress. But our journey - from conflict to cooperation, from borders to bridges, from six countries to twenty-seven - remains the greatest political experiment in modern history. And here in Romania, after 18 years of membership, you know what Europe can do. How it transforms lives, how it creates opportunity, how it protects freedom. You have lived it. And you believe in it. But that belief must never be taken for granted. Too many in Europe still feel left behind. Struggling to make ends meet. Worrying they’ll never afford a home. Leaving in search of work and opportunity. Weighed down by bureaucracy and costs. That is why we must listen. And that is why we must do so much more. When Europeans voted last June, they sent a clear message about the kind of Europe that they want. And that message echoed here again in Romania last Sunday. People are asking for results. They want a Europe that works. They want a Europe that makes life simpler, not harder. A Europe that leads - on good jobs, on better opportunities, and a fair chance everywhere at building a future. A Europe that protects - its borders, its values, its people. A Europe that fulfils the promise of its flag. That is not too much to ask. And it cannot be too much to deliver. So the responsibility now falls to us - to build that smarter, stronger, and safer Europe. To prove that Europe can deliver. To show that Europe can reconnect with citizens. To show Europe is not just about capital cities. A smarter Europe is one where innovation thrives. Where universities, like yours here in Timișoara, drive progress. Today, there was a competition between the students as to who came from the best school, and they were all very objective when claiming that theirs was. This is a city where start-ups can scale, not stumble. A Europe that understands that more regulation doesn’t always mean better regulation. A Europe that invests in clean technologies, without turning its back on our farmers and our industries. A stronger Europe is one that knows that alone we are small, but together we are powerful. Where we commit to finishing what we started, like completing the Capital Markets Union and deepening our single market. A Europe that doesn’t follow, but leads - in AI, in digital, and in quantum. A Europe that stands tall - especially in the most uncertain of times. A safer Europe is one that takes its destiny into its own hands. Russia’s war in Ukraine changed everything. Every Member State in Europe now understands that we can no longer rely on others for our security. We must take that responsibility seriously, if we are to push for a real and lasting peace, on the basis of ‘nothing about Ukraine, without Ukraine.’ A safer Europe also means getting serious about enlargement. Moldova and Ukraine must continue their path toward membership. And the Western Balkans cannot be left waiting another decade. If we have learnt something from each enlargement phase of the European Union, ever since its conception, it is that if we don’t step up, others will step in. Romania waited more than a decade to join the Schengen area. I lose count of how many times I stood up - sometimes as the only one around the table - and said: “Remember when you take your decisions that Romania and Bulgaria are not yet in the Schengen area, and that is unfair.” It took long, but you managed. You managed. Finally, too late, but you managed. And we in the European Parliament - across the board, all political groups - got together and said, “This is something we need to repeat every week, month, every time we had the opportunity.” Because we knew, as directly elected representatives, that if we didn’t do it, then others might not. And it is a responsibility we took extremely seriously. And it is also a responsibility we take for enlargement, with regards to Ukraine and Moldova. And here, I want to say ‘thank you’ to the Romanian people, for your support to Ukrainians, and to Moldovans living under the constant threat of Russia. You understand better than anyone why this matters. For all of us. Europe has always been built by people who believed that tomorrow could be better than today. And I know that belief is still alive, in every young person looking for their first job, in every entrepreneur with an idea, starting something new, in every family and parents hoping their children will live better lives. Our job, collectively, is to match that belief with action. To show that Europe still works. That it still listens. That it delivers. And that is why I’m here in Timișoara today. With this award, we at the European Parliament renew our promise: To defend the values that brought us together. To fight for the future that you and your children deserve. And to build a Europe that doesn’t just endure, but inspires. Timișoara, îți mulțumesc pentru această onoare.