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Incumbent President Klaus Iohannis, who is running for a new term in the country's top job, said on Saturday that "all the topics of interest" in a presidential electoral campaign will be addressed at the debate announced for Tuesday.
The presidential candidate of the National Liberal Party said that participating in the meeting will be political scientists, opinion makers and journalists, all highly familiar with the subject, and that "all the topics of interest in a presidential campaign will be discussed: the past term and its successes, and also what could have been done better and will be done in the second term in office."
"This debate is important to me, because the Romanians are now very interested in these topics and this is why we thought of a format that really hits the nail on the head, not a formal or cheap sensationalist discussion, but a hands-on debate on what the President has done and will do," said Iohannis.
Asked if he would have accepted a debate with a counter-candidate other than Viorica Dancila, the head of the state replied: "This is the situation and I didn't accept to engage in debate with this lady mainly because she is the representative of a non-democratic party that has ruled against the Romanians and I am not willing to legitimize that."
In his opinion, the absence of a direct confrontation will not affect the voter turnout, quite the contrary, it will increase the number of Romanians who will come to the polls.
Klaus Iohannis also voiced his hope that, together with the Romanians, he will repeat the victory in the presidential race five years ago.
"I hope that this time, together with the Romanians, we will be able to repeat that success. And, speaking about who turns out to the polls, don't forget that the heroes of this election are the voters and I am heavily relying on their vote," he said.
The Bucharest National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) announced today that it will provide "a neutral space" for Klaus Iohannis's November 19 electoral debate which will take place in the great hall of the 'Carol I' Central University Library in Bucharest.
AGERPRES
