Abstract. The paper presents an objective perspective on the sustainable development in Romania, as it is illustrated by the statistical data. The analysis of the main indicators related to the human development, the environment and the socio-economic issues reveals the position of our country within the European space. Besides the objective perspective, the citizens’ perspective has been also considered. The survey organised has identified the general citizens’ views related to the barriers and opportunities concerning the sustainable development and possible crisis mitigation solutions. The results of the pilot survey demonstrate the citizens' commitment in finding solutions for the issues that affect their lives. The article emphasizes the citizens’ potential role in finding solutions in complex and difficult situations.

Keywords: sustainable development, sustainable development indexes, crisis mitigation solutions.