President Klaus Iohannis stated that he will not accept a debate with Social Democratic Party (PSD) candidate Viorica Dancila and that he will attend a debate with political scientists, opinion makers and journalists.
“I understand perfectly the need, the desire to have a real, sober debate with the candidates in the second round. However, as I do not accept this debate with Mrs. Dancila from the PSD I will organize, together with my team, a sober debate next week, Tuesday evening, where political scientists, opinion makers, journalists will debate with me the mandate I have concluded, the plan for the mandate I hope to obtain. It will be an open, sober discussion that will certainly be to the liking of Romanians,” said the president, in a press conference organized at the headquarters of the National Liberal Party (PNL).
He stated his reasons for not wanting to participate in a debate with Viorica Dancila, his opponent in the second round of the presidential elections.
“Mrs. Dancila was a person very active in governing against Romanians. She is the representative of an anti-democratic, unreformed party, which has governed against Romanians and now, in the electoral campaign, she is mimicking a democratic candidate and is expecting to be treated with great respect by everyone as if she had defended Romanian democracy and Romanians. I do not accept a debate with such a person that represents all that is worse in the politics of the past years in Romania. I cannot legitimize the miserable behaviour of the PSD in the past years by accepting a debate with the candidate of this PSD,” Iohannis showed.
Greatest accomplishment – replacing PSD power with one for Romanians
President Klaus Iohannis stated, on Wednesday, that the greatest accomplishment of his mandate was replacing the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Government with “a power for Romanians”.
“The greatest is actually the last, (…) namely replacing the PSD power with a power for Romanians,” said the president in a press conference organized at the National Liberal Party (PNL) headquarters.
Dancila to Iohannis: I believe you live in a different world, you are afraid of direct confrontation with me
Social Democratic Party (PSD) candidate in the presidential election Viorica Dancila said on Wednesday that President Klaus Iohannis “lives in a different world,” “master over a Romania where only the National Liberal Party exists,” mentioning that the latter is afraid of a debate, direct confrontation with her.
“We are talking about the incumbent head of state and the former prime minister of the country, appointed in office by yourself, Mr. Iohannis, last year. For an entire country, but not for this president, it is normal, correct and democratic to have a direct debate, a confrontation of ideas and programmes between those coming and asking the vote of Romanians on 24 November. In 2014, Klaus Iohannis textually said a debate in the opponents of the presidential election runoff is absolutely necessary and expected by all Romanians. It seems that many things have happened over these five years of mandate with his principles and beliefs, if now, in these elections, he is actually telling us to our face that Romanians no longer deserve such a debate. Following this logic, we can expect the president soon saying that Romanians don’t even deserve to express by vote their political option if this is not the National Liberal Party,” Dancila told a press conference at the PSD headquarters.
She believes President Iohannis only thanked those who voted for him, completely ignoring the other Romanians who went to vote and didn’t vote for the National Liberal Party.
She said the president “takes credit for the good conduct of the elections in the diaspora, although the three days of voting, the increase in the number of polling stations and mail voting are the merits of the Dancila Government.”
“Mr. Iohannis, I believe you live in a different world. I believe Mr. Iohannis either sees himself somewhere in the stratosphere, master over a Romania where only the National Liberal Party exists, above all the citizens of this country and the vote expressed by them, above the other candidates, above the Constitution and is afraid of a confrontation with me,” Dancila also said, adding that the head of state is afraid of a direct confrontation with her.
A debate between candidates, according to Dancila, would dismantle all propaganda and “all dirty attacks” against her and the PSD.
Dancila wishes the president came to a debate in front of all Romanians, not a debate only in front of PNL members, mentioning she accepted the invitation from TVR national television broadcaster, where she also invites her opponent on Sunday.
The PSD leader conveyed President Iohannis she has several topics for this debate, such as his promise in the 2014 presidential campaign about giving up the immunity provided by the president office, Romania’s accession to Schengen or the US visa requirement lifting for Romanians.
She also maintained the president would have a huge corruption issue.
Iohannis’ press conference-moment of monstrous arrogance
PSD President Viorica Dancila said on Wednesday that President Klaus Iohannis held the only press conference in his term that was “a moment of monstrous arrogance”.
“I saw tonight that Mr Iohannis spoke. I saw probably the only press conference in the president’s term, a moment of monstrous arrogance and a total contempt to democracy and for Romanians. I saw a country president telling us that his only achievement is that he has taken down a legitimate government, elected by vote. This is Iohannis’ performance,” Dancila told a press conference at the PSD headquarters.
