When will Mircea Geoană announce his presidential candidacy?

The deputy general secretary of NATO, Mircea Geoană, said on Sunday evening, about the presidential candidacy, that on a personal level his decision has been made, but he has to wait a few more days.

“I will announce the decision when I finish my mandate at NATO”, he emphasized.

“Their information is correct regarding the end of my mandate at NATO. (…) You have to be honest with people, you don’t have to go around the queue too much. On a personal level, my decision is taken, on a political and institutional level, I have to respect the rules of the game at NATO and the formal, official announcement, I will make it the moment I finish my mandate and this will happen in the next period”, said Mircea Geoana at Digi 24.

He claimed that “it is not an easy decision”. “It’s a decision that involves, on a personal level, family, friends, people who support me, responsibility, you don’t play with these things,” he said.

“On a personal level, things are clear, I am determined, but from the point of view of an official announcement (…) we have to wait a few more days. There is not much left and I will announce the decision, when I finish my mandate at NATO”, emphasized Geoană.

Asked if he would make an announcement in this regard next week, the Deputy Secretary General of NATO said that “it is a matter of internal kitchen and things are discussed at the level of the NATO leadership and the future leadership”. “As soon as things are clear, I will make an announcement”, Mircea Geoană also said, specifying that the announcement will be about “a future candidacy, if things are set up, for the presidency of Romania”.

Geoana also declared that “Romania is ready for an important change and these presidential elections are probably the most important we have had in the last, if not 35, at least 20 years”.

Mircea Geoană also stated on Sunday on Digi 24, about the presidential candidates, that it is very possible that the two big parties, PNL and PSD, will not take their candidate to the second round, admitting that “his appearance may disturb the traditional balances” . “It is true that there is a much different political and electoral landscape this year, compared to any of the other elections. Before there was a strong polarization between a candidate of the so-called left, let’s say PSD, and a coalition of those so-called right, and things contrasted quite clearly and usually the left-wing candidate did not have enough votes in the second round and was losing”, said Geoana.

He says that what is happening now is a very interesting thing.

“It is for the first time after many years, maybe my appearance, and I disturb the traditional balances, but we see a situation in which the candidates of the main parties, who should normally face each other in the second round (…), are with at least 10 percent behind the scores of the parties. There are two other formations that make a good score, and USR seems more lively (…) Another game is being played and I think that this thing is potentially dangerous for the two big parties. I don’t know what the result will be, but it is very possible that the two big parties will not take their candidate to the second round”, explained Mircea Geoană.

He mentioned that “at PNL it is clear that there is a candidate with massive difficulties to reach the second round”. “This is an obvious thing and I think we are not offending or upsetting anyone. I have many liberal friends and I don’t want to upset anyone, but even in the PSD it is not so clear, according to today’s score, because this competition for the second round is much more open, between several candidates, all with chances and entry into the second round is more complicated than any other election“, added NATO deputy chief.