Today we celebrate the National Independence Day of Romania. How the Sibiu Garrison marked the moment

Following the adoption of Law no. 189/2021, starting from 2022, the 10th of May is celebrated every year as the National Independence Day of Romania.

photo: AFT Sibiu/Daniela Oană

On this occasion, today, the military structures from the Sibiu garrison, in collaboration with the local public authorities and the Metropolitanate of Transylvania, organized a military and religious Ceremony of laying wreaths and wreaths of flowers, at the “Monument of the soldier of all times”, located in front of of the Military Circle from Sibiu.

At the same time, between May 10-31, daily, between 08.00-19.00, in the central hall of the Sibiu Military Circle, you can visit a photo-documentary exhibition dedicated to Romania’s National Independence Day and Europe Day, organized by our institution.

photo: AFT Sibiu/Daniela Oană

The affirmation and consecration of Romania’s State Independence represents a historical moment that decisively and fundamentally marked the country’s destiny. “We are independent, we are an independent nation!” they were the words that expressed the national aspirations for the realization of the country project assumed by the Pasoptic revolutionaries, which took shape in 1859, through the union of the Principalities of Moldova and Wallachia. The new status of the country had to be consolidated by achieving independence, an ideal that became a reality in 1877.

The motion acknowledging the “absolute independence of Romania”, voted by the Assembly of Deputies in extraordinary session on May 9, 1877, and later, in the evening, also by the Senate, received the official consecration by sanctioning it, in a festive setting, by ruler Carol I, on May 10, 1877. It is no coincidence that May 10 became, from 1881, the national day of royal Romania, celebrated until 1947.

photo: AFT Sibiu/Daniela Oană

The proclamation of Romania’s State Independence was recognized by the blood tribute given in the battles of Vidin, Smârdan, Plevna and Rahova, where more than 10,000 Romanian soldiers were killed, to which were added many wounded, and the financial effort of the country exceeded 100 million lei. And all this, said Mihail Kogălniceanu, because: “we want to be independent, because we want to live our own lives, because we no longer want to suffer for the mistakes of others, because we want a boulevard at the mouth of the Lower Danube against the rebellion”.

The conquest of state independence was the objective of the entire Romanian nation representing, in fact, a long series of diplomatic, political and military battles.