www.mediafax.ro/life-inedit/cum-este-vazuta-romani

Romania has made significant economic and social progress in recent decades, yet social disparities and nostalgia for communism raise concerns. William Echikson, a former correspondent, analyzes the contrast between Romania in the 1980s and today, noting that per capita income has risen from 26% to about 78-80% of the EU average. While millions have escaped poverty and life expectancy has increased, benefits have not been evenly distributed, leading to dissatisfaction. A survey shows that 66% of Romanians view Nicolae Ceaușescu positively, reflecting a longing for the past amid current political instability and security threats. Echikson warns that Romania's experience serves as a cautionary tale against the resurgence of populism and the romanticization of totalitarianism, emphasizing the need to safeguard progress made since communism's fall.