Remote duel between presidential candidates

Ahead of the presidential runoff, the two candidates have leveled accusations against each other

Ştefan Stoica, 14.11.2019, 13:55

The public
dispute over the need of organizing a debate pitting the two candidates that
will run in the second round of the presidential election, acting President
Klaus Iohannis, supported by the right wing and the Social-Democrat leader Viorica
Dancila, the representative of the left wing, has become the bone of contention
between the two candidates. Viorica Dancila has called President Iohannis to
feature in a televised dispute, while Klaus Iohannis has firmly refused. The
latter explained in a press conference that Viorica Dancila is a dismissed and
compromised Prime Minister, who supported what the president has called repeated
attempts at subordinating the judiciary, also governing against Romanians’ best
interests.

Mrs. Dancila is
the representative of an anti-democratic, unreformed party, that has governed
against Romanians’ best interests. In the current election campaign, she
pretends to be a democratic candidate, expecting due respect from everyone, as
if she had been defending Romanian democracy and Romanians so far.

Viorica Dancila
retorted, arguing her opponent refuses to appear in a public debate with her,
because this would undo the propaganda staged against the Social-Democratic
Party and herself, its leader.

This is the
real motivation behind his refusal, which he has been trying to explain in a
ridiculous fashion, presenting fallacies as arguments. There have been other
debates between presidential candidates, it’s our responsibility towards voting
citizens. What is Mr. Iohannis so afraid of?

The remote
dialogue between Klaus Iohannis and Viorica Dancila also included references to
each candidate’s term in office. Klaus Iohannis.

These have been
complicated years for Romania, and now I can say that, despite the
Social-Democrat governance, I’ve managed to keep Romania on its Euro-Atlantic
track, to avoid serious crises in the country. I honestly would have wanted to
work with a Government that had Romania’s interests at heart, that would help
Romania progress! I believe, after all this time, that, considering the
political events of the last five years, the last three years in particular,
I’ve done everything in my power as president, as per the provisions of the
Constitution.

In turn, Viorica
Dancila said:

Mr. Iohannis
speaks of a disastrous governance. If a disastrous governance means increasing
salaries and pensions, investing in local communities, making Romanian economy
second at EU level in terms of growth, then he is either dishonest or
misinformed. Moreover, a disastrous governance wouldn’t have attracted the
praise of Member States and third-party states for the good handling of the
rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The presidential
duel will most likely continue along the same lines, making for a very
heated election debate.

(translated by V. Palcu)