PNL Chairman: At the moment it is premature to talk about the presidential elections

National Liberal Party Chairman (PNL) Nicolae Ciuca said on Wednesday, when asked if he would support Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Marcel Ciolacu in the presidential elections, that it was premature to discuss the matter, saying that the relation between him and the chairman of the Social Democrats is one of respect and not friendship and that he hopes that, through the decisions they make together, they would not need to "save" each other.

"I wouldn't call it friendship because when we talk about friendship it means more than what we do when we see each other in government or in formal meetings. It is absolutely important to highlight the fact that together we have embarked on this political construction, being aware that Romania needs stability, it needs stability and it needs responsibility. This political construction is still based on respect and I hope that, through the decisions we have made and will take together, through the attitude of each of us, there will be no need to save each other," Ciuca told Antena 3 private television broadcaster, asked if he would "save" Marcel Ciolacu from the fate of the other former PSD chairs.

The Liberal leader added that if this coalition lasts only on the grounds of the relation between the two chairmen, if one of them had a problem, then the coalition would no longer exist and Romania's stability "would go down the drain."

Asked if the PNL would support Marcel Ciolacu as a candidate in the presidential elections, Nicolae Ciuca answered: "I think that at this moment it is premature to discuss the presidential elections."

In this context, asked if he would run for president, Nicolae Ciuca said that it was also premature to say anything on the matter, but the statute of the National Liberal Party states that the chairman of the party must assume the candidacy.