President Klaus Iohannis stated that he will not accept a debate with Social Democratic Party (PSD) candidate Viorica Dancila and that he will attend a debate with political scientists, opinion makers and journalists.
"I understand perfectly the need, the desire to have a real, sober debate with the candidates in the second round. However, as I do not accept this debate with Mrs. Dancila from the PSD I will organize, together with my team, a sober debate next week, Tuesday evening, where political scientists, opinion makers, journalists will debate with me the mandate I have concluded, the plan for the mandate I hope to obtain. It will be an open, sober discussion that will certainly be to the liking of Romanians," said the president, in a press conference organized at the headquarters of the National Liberal Party (PNL).
He stated his reasons for not wanting to participate in a debate with Viorica Dancila, his opponent in the second round of the presidential elections.
"Mrs. Dancila was a person very active in governing against Romanians. She is the representative of an anti-democratic, unreformed party, which has governed against Romanians and now, in the electoral campaign, she is mimicking a democratic candidate and is expecting to be treated with great respect by everyone as if she had defended Romanian democracy and Romanians. I do not accept a debate with such a person that represents all that is worse in the politics of the past years in Romania. I cannot legitimize the miserable behaviour of the PSD in the past years by accepting a debate with the candidate of this PSD," Iohannis showed.