#2019PresidentialElection/Dancila defends her Cabinet's performance, launches challenge to head-to-head debates

Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Viorica Dancila said on Friday that the ministers of her deposed Cabinet will invite their counterparts in the incumbent Orban Government to head-to-head debates, in the light of the unprovable accusations launched by the current ruling power against their predecessors.

"In my opinion, Klaus Iohannis's electoral rhetoric doesn't bode well for the Romanians. (...) These refusals are worrying for the fate of the country. The Romanians fear for tomorrow, they are afraid that if they are at odds with what candidate Iohannis says they might see the handcuffs dangling threateningly before their eyes. We want to live in a free country, where everyone has the right to free speech, in a country with strengthened democracy, in a country free of extremist approaches. The helm is now in the hands of some arrogant leaders, an arrogant President, arrogant ministers who come up with accusations they cannot prove. Therefore, I decided that the ministers of the former Dancila Cabinet should invite to debate their counterparts in the Ludovic Orban I Cabinet from the Iohannis dynasty, because it is important that we know the truth, it's important that we present what we have done and learn about the plans of these people who, day in, day out, blame the burdensome legacy they have to deal with but don't deliver anything good for the people," Dancila told a press conference.

She also accused President Klaus Iohannis of engaging in extremist rhetoric.

"I've seen the speech of candidate Iohannis, an anti-democratic, anti-European, extremist speech. The only thing he envisages is to wipe away PSD, exterminate this party. What if tomorrow he doesn't agree with PMP, USR or UDMR, will he want these parties nixed too?," Dancila inquired.