The mathematician and mayor of Bucharest, Sucușor Dan, remained firm in his support for a pro-Western policy, despite the threat from Russia.
Stressing his beliefs, Dan is confidently pro-European, although he does not turn his back on good relations with the administration of the American president Donald Trump in Washington.
“I want Romania to maintain its pro-Western direction,” said Dan in a joint interview with Euronews and Euronews Romania, “which means pro-European, so that Romania is active in the European Union”.
“On the other hand, I want to preserve the strategic partnership that Romania has with the United States, which is very important, especially in the security zone.”
Asked about Trump himself, Dan stressed pragmatism in the approach of Romania with his administration.
“Romania has a strategic partnership with the United States that I want to see continuous and widened. I would like a greater presence of American companies in Romania,” he said.
“And I would obviously like a retention of American troops in Romania, which is an additional security guarantee for Romania.”
The biggest question that poses the elections, however, is what led to the meteoric rise of Simion on the right, an event which saw the first attempted election canceled due to alleged irregularities in the first round.
“It is a failure of the traditional political class, which was exploited by those who shouted stronger, who had stronger and more populist messages,” said Dan about the success of his opponent.
“Romania has a big problem, which is corruption. This is the reason why the doubling of GDP in the last 10 years has not been reflected in the living conditions of ordinary people,” said Dan.
“Romania has a problem with the functioning of the state apparatus that people, once again, see very well. But on the other hand, Romania has the resources to correct all these things and transfer the economy to prosperity.”
The mayor of Bucharest and his nationalist opponent offered strongly different attitudes with regard to support for Ukraine in their first television debate, organized by Euronews Romania.
In the interview carried out before the debate, Dan said that he wanted to remain aligned with Western partners, more importantly, from Western Europe, because he explains it concerning the “security of Romania and the Republic of Moldova at stake”.
“In the event that I am president, I will campaign for this in European structures,” said Dan.
Dan has a difficult battle receiving 21% of the votes on Sunday against 41% similar. The second round will take place on May 18, with the future management of Western alliances at stake.
ADVERTISEMENTAt the national level, Dan will seek to stabilize Romania financially, with a deficit in the first quarter of 2.3%. “This means a prediction of a deficit of 9% per year, which is not at all healthy, the objective being 7%.”
“This is the first thing that must be done, limit certain expenses, see what are the obstacles to the attraction of European funds, to very high pressure on large tax evasion and also on the operation of public enterprises, on the management of public companies,” concluded Dan.
Additional sources • Jesse Dimich-Louvet
