Iliescu willing to negotiate

PDSR (Party of Social Democracy) leader Ion Iliescu does not rule out the possibility of discussing with PNL (Liberal Party) the issue of maintaining Mugur Isarescu in the position of Prime Minister after the elections.

However, he believes that the proposition PNL prime deputy chairman Valeriu Stoica came up with is just a "manoeuvre" intended for supporting the liberal candidate for presidentials by suggesting to the current PM that he has no reasons to run for president.

Iliescu on Friday told Mediafax that the variant suggested by the liberal leader was not "ruled out", and that he "personally" had nothing against discussing the issue.

PDSR chairman afterwards explained that even if his party obtained 50% of the votes, it would remain "open" to making alliances with other parties. He added that such a decision concerning Isarescu might be "considered" only after the elections and that it would be made by the future parliamentary majority.

Last week, Stoica stated that PNL might negotiate with other parties, including PDSR, an offer addressed to Mugur Isarescu with a view to maintaining him in office after the elections. "We are considering another offer, which will have to be validated by the Congress, an offer addressed both to the coalition and to the opposition (especially to PDSR) and meant to propose to Mugur Isarescu to keep his position of PM," Stoica said.

However, at the PNL Congress, the liberal leader stated that his party was ready to propose to coalition parties another mandate for Mugur Isarescu only if he did his PM duties including continuing reforms even during the electoral campaign.