Maia Sandu, the president of the Republic of Moldova, traveled to Romania this past weekend, where she received the Timișoara Award for European Values. She was honoured in the city in western Romania “for her services to the defense of freedom and democratic values in Europe and in recognition of her exemplary courageous and inspiring leadership in times of crisis."

Maia Sandu is the first recipient of the award worth EUR 30,000, established last year by the Timișoara City Hall. The prize rewards international personalities who promote or defend European values inside and outside the European Union.

“I receive this award as a vote of confidence in the ability of the Republic of Moldova and its citizens to see the fight for freedom through to the end - a fair, legitimate and necessary fight for our future and the whole continent! What we see here, in Timișoara, what we see in European cities, we want for the Republic of Moldova. […] The standard of living that I see in your city, the freedom of thought and expression, the European values - may they become invincible here and in Moldova,” the Moldovan leader said upon receiving the award.

In his turn, Timișoara’s mayor, Dominic Fritz, stated: “The jury recognizes the huge efforts our laureate made to put Moldova on a European path, but she does not receive this award only for what she did for her country. Equally, the jury admires how Maia Sandu has established herself as a sui generis European force, setting an example for her western colleagues and infusing fresh energy into the European project. Just as Moldova needs the European Union, Europe needs Moldova.”

The award was granted following a multi-stage process by a jury comprised of top Romanian professionals from various fields. Among them, Adriana Babeți, essayist, literary critic, translator and prose writer; director and screenwriter Anca Miruna Lăzărescu; Simona Miculescu, ambassador, permanent delegate of Romania to UNESCO; conductor Cristian Măcelaru, artistic director of the George Enescu International Festival, music director of the National Orchestra of France and chief conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester in Cologne; Iulia Motoc, judge at the International Criminal Court in The Hague; renowned writer Mircea Cărtărescu; and Dominic Fritz, Timișoara’s mayor.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Dominic Fritz)