. assumed by Romania at the national, European and international level, when acting to ensure and guarantee the defense of the country, of its citizens and of their fundamental rights, as well as when preventing risks, fighting threats and minimizing vulnerabilities that could increase the former;  proportionality, a principle which aims to identify the adequate lines of action required to ensure national security, determined by the established objectives and assigned resources. 18. In order to safeguard abovementioned values and principles, the Strategy assumes a pragmatic and operational character by encouraging the initiative and the joint effort of institutions authorized for implementing defense and security policies, as well as by efficiently coordinating their actions. 1.2. National security interests 19. In defining national security interests, the Strategy relates mainly to the Constitutional provisions which assert Romania as a national, sovereign, independent and indivisible state. National interests naturally result from these provisions, including security interests, closely related to legitimately promoting and safeguarding the core values that guarantee the existence, the identity, the development and the stability of the Romanian state. These are the core values on which Romania builds its future and contributions for ensuring international security. 20. National security interests are:  guaranteeing the state’s national character, sovereignty, independence, unity and indivisibility;  defending the country’s territorial integrity and inalienability;  defending and consolidating constitutional democracy and the rule of law;  protecting fundamental rights and liberties of all citizens and guaranteeing their safety;  guaranteeing the right to preservation, development and expression of ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of persons belonging to national minorities;  capitalizing on our country’s resources and geostrategic position, in order to reach the welfare level that citizens are entitled to;  reducing development disparities and the reconstruction of major public systems;  ensuring the irreversible nature of belonging to the trans‐Atlantic collective defense system;  consolidating the European Union and actively participating in 8