Parties, politicians react to CCR vote recount ruling

Prime Minister and PSD presidential candidate Marcel Ciolacu has accused there is “manipulation” in the vote recount scandal requested by the CCR. Ciolacu said he was “not interested in second place” and would withdraw from the race for the Romanian presidency, even if the vote recount proves he was disadvantaged. He went back on his original post and wrote “because I see that propaganda has added another point to its list. To be clear to everyone! I am here to fight, I don’t need second place at the green table. We all need the truth!”

“How manipulation works: 1. If PSD wins, it means it wants all the power; 2. If PSD loses, it behaves with dignity and doesn’t make a circus like others with all kinds of appeals, it means that “they know something”; 3. If an MEP, elected on the AUR lists, contests at the CCR and the CCR gives a unanimous decision to recount the votes, it means that it was put in place by PSD, which wants to steal; 4. If USR walks around with bags of votes or keeps people in the streets at 40 degrees because they want to recount, it’s called a democratic approach! I and all people of good faith in this country are tired of this disgusting propaganda! Do you know something?! Romanians have the right to know the truth! The whole truth!”, said Marcel Ciolacu, in a post published on his Facebook page.

The PSD leader said that “we need to know clearly if the vote was tainted”. “More directly: if it was stolen! For this reason, I recommend that the Central Electoral Bureau urgently allow the accreditation of all civic associations, especially those that have already been present in electoral offices and have experience in elections, that wish to participate as independent observers in the recount process of the votes from the presidential elections”, said the Romanian prime minister. “And to calm the propaganda: if it is proven after the recount that I was disadvantaged, I announce to you that I am withdrawing from the race for the presidency of Romania anyway. I do not want second place! I am not interested. I just want Romanians to find out the truth, which is more important than my candidacy. And then Romanians will know how to punish those who stole, faster than the institutions will!”, said Ciolacu.

The social-democratic leader also said that “the most important fight” is the parliamentary elections on December 1 and that the PSD’s objective is to come in first place, in order to give the future prime minister.

Marcel Ciolacu declared that, in case someone stole votes in the first round of the presidential elections, he as prime minister will ensure that he “will answer to the Romanians”. He also said that the vote in the parliamentary elections on December 1 is important, because the first place for the Social Democrats would mean that the future government will have a PSD prime minister.

The interim president of the PNL, Ilie Bolojan, states that the non-validation of the first round of the presidential elections before the elections this Sunday gives rise to scenarios that induce tensions in society and can influence the outcome of the parliamentary elections. According to him, the CCR’s decision to recount the votes might be a good one, if there are elements in this sense, “but the way they gave it, it doesn’t sound good”.

“I don’t have data to say that it wasn’t correct (the vote – ed.). We were notified quickly for the first time, so for the first time the scanning system worked well. Please think about how the votes were counted at the polling stations, they stood with bags for two, three days, people were exhausted, waiting to cast their votes,” Ilie Bolojan answered on Friday, on Radio Free Europe, when asked if the first round of the presidential elections was correct.

He added that the non-validation of the results from the first round of the presidential elections gives rise to scenarios that induce tensions in society.

“Being representatives of all parties in these electoral offices, it should – and that’s what is appropriate in a country – be done without suspicion, be done correctly. The problem we have is that it is really very unlikely, it is practically impossible to finish the counting by noon today. So it is obvious that even if there is a Court session, it will not be able to make a decision considering that they have not received the recount results. Whether other elements will intervene or not, I have no way of knowing. The idea is, however, that this, let’s say, non-validation before the parliamentary elections gives rise to all kinds of scenarios, if it happens in one way, if it happens in another way, which, unfortunately, induce some tensions in society and which may also have an influence on the parliamentary elections”, the interim president of the PNL also said.

Asked why the Constitutional Court decided to recount the votes, Ilie Bolojan replied: “I do not have legal elements that were the basis for this decision and, in general, I have avoided making substantive comments on legal decisions, because you know, on the one hand, we say: respect the decisions of the judiciary, on the other hand: comment on them, see what it is about. But very openly discussing this legal decision that, within the term in which it was given, cannot be respected, it is clear that it is a decision that has generated confusion and discussions and you cannot call it a good decision. In essence, it may be a good decision if they have elements, but the way they gave it, it does not sound good”.

The mayor of the capital, Nicușor Dan, urged Romanians on Friday to vote on Sunday in the parliamentary elections. He also had an initial reaction after the Constitutional Court’s decision to recount the votes from the first round of voting, saying that this was “unjustified”. “Many of the things I said, and Romanians know them, would be worse if Romania were not in the EU or NATO. My urge is for people to go to the polls, to get informed and to vote for the parties that do not question our membership in the EU and NATO, the most democratic of them. Sunday’s elections are the most important this year”, said Nicușor Dan, in a press conference.

In his opinion, these elections can bring a rupture in Romanian society. “It is important that these elections do not lead to a rupture in Romanian society. For a society to function, it is important that it does not know the concerns of each social category and that we are in dialogue. I invite you to understand the other’s point of view, so as not to create a rupture in society”, said Nicușor Dan.

He added that he saw the protests of young people in the country against Călin Georgescu: “Everyone can manifest themselves as they believe, but I do not think we need a rupture in society anymore. I am waiting with hope for the vote this Sunday”.