Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu yesterday said in an interview granted to Mediafax and Rompres news agencies that he would run for Presidency only as an independent and if he was supported by a large number of citizens. PN?CD (Peasants' Party) members greeted Isarescu's announcement enthusiastically, while PNL (the Liberal Party) deemed the PM's decision as a refusal to run for CDR 2000.
"If a significant number of Romanians voice their wish for me to participate in the presidential race, I shall run for the position of President of Romania.
But I will do that only as an independent and I will keep supporting the current government programme aimed at European Union joining, which was launched at the beginning of the year," the Prime Minister explained. However, he did not elaborate on the issue of popular support.
Isarescu went on to say that his wish to retain independence has prompted him to turn down the offer extended by PNL, as this proposition was conditioned on his joining the Liberal group. "This variant would have cost me my independent status, which I held when taking on the Premier job and which is securing the configuration of the Cabinet I lead.
My giving up political independence would have put an end to the mandate I received from Parliament, the Romanian President and the Government coalition," the Premier stated.
Isarescu also pointed out that he didn't "depend on any agenda" and that he wasn't the one who had established the acceptance deadlines that appeared in the media. "I am sorry to notice that other people have spoken on my behalf," the Premier said.
PNL prime vice-president Valeriu Stoica believes that such a statement is "a very polite refusal." "Mugur Isarescu is a perfect diplomat, so he could not refuse PN?CD or anybody else in a blunt way," Stoica said. He added that the interview clearly rejected the possibility of a candidacy supported by a political party but left the door open to an independent candidacy, which, in Stoica's opinion, was technically impossible to prepare, because of the short time left until the elections.
UFD (Union of Right-wing Forces) vice-president Mircea Cosea said in his turn that Isarescu refused any political support. "The Premier refuses to place himself first on the lists of any political party or alliance," the UFD leader said.
Cosea explained that a meeting between Mugur Isarescu and party leaders was necessary, so that the Premier could define his position towards the political parties and explain what he understood by "popular support," as polls indicated that he already enjoyed large support from the citizens.
However, Christian-Democrats are optimistic. PN?CD prime-vice-president Ioan Muresan stated that his party was satisfied with the interview granted by Isarescu, who took "a fair stand," as "it is absolutely necessary to get the support of civil society in order to enter the presidential race.
Joining a political party would confine the Prime Minister's room for manoeuvre, as well as his capacity to enforce the accession programme." PN?CD leaders last evening tackled Isarescu's answer.
UDMR (Alliance of Democrat Hungarians in Romania) chairman Marko Bela states that, as far as he knows Isarescu, he may run for Presidency based on popular support, but he believes that the Prime Minister needs support from some political groups as well. Marko stated though that he did not quite understand what "popular support" meant.
