"NATO is the main guarantee for Romania's security, Romania playing on its turn an important role in the North Atlantic alliance. NATO is a necessary structure for the collective security. It is almost impossible now to imagine how the Central and Eastern Europe would have looked like without joining the organization", said president Traian Basescu on Tuesday, during the ceremony at the Romanian Parliament, dedicated to five years since Romania joined NATO and 60 years since the alliance was formed.

Basescu's main statements:

- Joining NATO was the first sign of our progressive re-integration of our country, after 1989;

- NATO opened its gates in a moment of severe economic crisis of our country;

- The merit for Romania being a member of the alliance belongs equally to all political forces that governed. The parties didn't transform the accession in a political issue;

- The accession project was drawn a decade ago. The process was accelerated after 1997. Joining the organization was a boost for the administration and the political class coherence;

- Belonging in NATO is more than a security guarantee;

- It is almost impossible now to imagine how the Central and Eastern Europe would have looked like without joining the organization;

- We are the border of the organization, a position we wish to exploit by building bridges towards the neighboring states;

- We honor those who lost their lives in NATO operations.