GDS: Călin Georgescu’s Proposals Reflect a Criminal Past, Not Future

The Group for Social Dialogue (GDS), the first civil society organization established after the fall of the communist dictatorship, considers a candidate “an admirer of the Romanian interwar far right, who should have been punished from the very beginning according to the laws in force” to be “unacceptable”.

GDS believes that what Călin Georgescu proposes “is not the future, but a criminal past” and, therefore, GDS “will oppose the installation of a legionary, fascist and Putinist president in Cotroceni”.

“GDS was born during the days of the Revolution as an expression of the belief that the only future for Romania is democratic and European. In the 35 years of its existence, which coincide with the existence of democratic Romania, GDS has constantly campaigned for Romania’s definitive integration into the European Union and NATO. As a member of these two alliances, Romania enjoys the best economic and military situation in its entire existence,” notes the Social Dialogue Group.

According to the cited source, GDS is in “deep disagreement” with any candidate for the Presidency of Romania who seeks to exclude Romania from the EU and NATO.

“A candidate like Călin Georgescu is unacceptable to us; his admiration for the extreme right from the Romanian interwar period, which should have been punished by the courts from the very beginning according to the laws in force, is incompatible with European democracy. His admiration for the aggressor President Vladimir Putin is incompatible with the value system of the alliances of which we are a part. Democratic and European Romania simply has no future with Călin Georgescu. What he proposes is not a future, but a criminal past, from whose horrors we thought until now that we had definitively separated ourselves”, shows the GDS.

The organization proposes supporting the remaining pro-European candidate in the race. “Beyond any possible reservations regarding Elena Lasconi’s qualities, she remained the only pro-European candidate. In order for Romania’s European destiny to continue, the pro-EU electorate must support the remaining candidate in the race who supports Romania remaining in these two alliances. If Marcel Ciolacu had remained in the race, he should have been voted for. If Elena Lasconi remained, she must be voted for. It is a vote as big as a pro-EU referendum. This is how it should be treated,” states GDS.

Representatives of the organization also say that they will “oppose the installation of a legionary, fascist and Putinist president in Cotroceni.” “GDS will support the remaining pro-European candidate. European Romania is the best thing we have achieved in our state existence. Its European destiny must continue. GDS will fight with all its might for this,” the quoted source also mentions.

The Group for Social Dialogue was established on December 31, 1989 and is the first civil society organization legally established after the fall of the communist dictatorship. Its members are personalities of cultural and public life in Romania, many of them being dissidents of the communist regime. The values ​​promoted by the GDS are, according to the presentation on the organization’s website, those of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental human freedoms.