Interim President Ilie Bolojan stated that after analyzing the two candidates who reached the second round, he decided to vote for Nicușor Dan, in an interview with Radio Free Europe on Monday. Asked by the moderator to send a message to voters, the interim president asked them to go out and vote their conscience.
“I believe that we have earned a right over the years, with many sacrifices, the right to vote. There are many people who in the first round voted for candidates who did not make it to the second round, and I am in this situation. My message is to go vote, as their conscience dictates. Romania is at an important crossroads. Each one, through their vote, will make history for Romania,” Bolojan declared.
He later revealed who he would vote for. “Out of respect for the voters, it seemed right to me to say who I would vote for. Analyzing the candidates, I would vote for Nicușor Dan. Every Romanian has the freedom to vote as they see fit, and the vote of Romanians must be respected. The biggest danger is to fight each other, to make mistakes,” Bolojan said.
He also stressed that the main mission of the future president is to unite Romanians because only in this way the country moves forward and can create conditions for development.
“I am worried because it will be a difficult period, there are some combinations of factors that can create problems for us: the large deficit, the risk of financing it, the risk of relegation. Political instability is the second factor, now we have interims everywhere. We need political stability and it is not easy with seven parties in Parliament,” he replied when asked if he is afraid for Romania.
About the PM position
Asked in an interview with Free Europe if he would assume the position of prime minister in the event that Nicușor Dan wins the presidential elections, Ilie Bolojan emphasized that he undertakes to participate seriously in the discussions regarding the future parliamentary majority that will form the government, as a PNL representative, but he is not discussing the position of prime minister now because he does not want to do “electoral marketing”.
“The party I belong to, for better or worse, bears part of the responsibility for the situation we have reached. Of course, the option of desertion is the most convenient, but we cannot afford it for the country. I am willing to have the most serious discussion possible for a stable government”, Bolojan argued.
He stressed that the formation of the government and the name of the future prime minister will depend on the future president and it is important to avoid a conflict between the parliamentary majority and the president.
“A government means a parliamentary majority that supports the prime minister. In our situation after the presidential elections, an understanding with the president of Romania is needed. Regardless of how things look, a conflict situation between a parliamentary majority and the president should be avoided. The president of Romania, entering this game of interim government, can try to influence things in one direction or another. A conflict situation between the parliamentary majority and the president should be avoided. It is not just about a prime minister, but about strong teams,” Bolojan said.
Asked if he would assume this position, he replied: “I assume that as a representative of the PNL, I will participate seriously in the discussions. I am not a person to do electoral marketing. Things must be treated seriously here. If you say something, you must be responsible for what you say.”
“We have no interest in any way for the Russian Army to advance towards Romania“
In the same interview, the interim president of Romania said that our country has no interest in the Russian Army advancing towards Romania, and for this, it is necessary for the Ukrainian defense to stand firm. He added that the further a possible danger is from the country’s borders, the better it is for Romania. Bolojan added that Romania is a safer country the more consolidated the Eastern Flank is.
“I think it would be preferable that, following these negotiations, a solution be found in a first stage of a ceasefire for this period and then to enter into in-depth discussions regarding a longer-term solution, so that there is still a stable peace in Ukraine. The discussion related to what is happening there was on two levels. On the one hand, that any kind of discussion must be held and that on the part of Ukraine there is a total openness to accept any kind of unconditional ceasefire and direct talks, if necessary with the Russian side, and on the other hand, there was a discussion of combining efforts with the United States of America, so that if a solution is not reached with all the openness of Ukraine, additional pressure should be put on Russia in such a way as to try to bring it to the negotiating table for a ceasefire and find a solution,” said Bolojan, when questioned about the Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations.
He added that concrete discussions on additional sanctions measures are to be established on the basis of dialogue between European countries and the United States. Bolojan believes that for any sanctions to be effective, a joint solution with the US is needed.
“For these sanctions, to be truly effective, it would be preferable to find a common solution with the United States, as has been done so far. Certainly, the United States also has a desire to reach a solution of some kind of ceasefire and then to find some formulas, and I believe that this is also our desire as Europeans. During this period, Romania had this approach and I personally supported it because this is in Romania’s interest first and foremost. We have no interest in the Russian Army advancing towards Romania. For this, it is necessary for the Ukrainian defense to stand its ground and it is necessary for us to have a Ukrainian state in the long term, which has a secure territory that has the capacity to defend itself because by defending itself, they are the first defense outpost of Europe,” explained the interim president.
“The further a possible danger is from Romania’s borders, the better it is for Romania. This was the reason and not to encourage war, not to send troops to Ukraine, not to support a conflict, but simply not just out of compassion for an aggressed country, because think about it, it could be others, it could be us. We would have liked to be supported when we were aggressed, but it is simply a matter of geopolitical interest and the more this eastern flank is consolidated, the safer Romania is, a safer country and the more Europe benefits from a stronger peace in the years to come,” Bolojan also declared.
George Simion retorts to Bolojan’s endorsement to Nicusor Dan
George Simion, the AUR candidate in the presidential elections, reacted on Monday to the statements made by interim president Ilie Bolojan regarding his voting option in the 2nd round of the presidential elections on May 18.
“A County Council president, Mr. Bolojan could not do more than destroy the idea of an impartial president (at least in form) / We await the possible CSAT meetings,” wrote George Simion on the AUR press group.