Cristian Seidler, spokesperson for the Save Romania Union (USR), reacted strongly on Tuesday following the announcement of former President Ion Iliescu’s death. In a Facebook post, Seidler expressed regret that Iliescu never faced justice:
“I regret Ion Iliescu’s death. I wish he had lived long enough for those who protected him from justice to disappear, so he could be tried.”
Seidler described Iliescu as a “more reformist communist,” but still part of an oppressive system that personally affected his family. He criticized the lingering influence of Iliescu’s political legacy in Romania’s justice system, politics, and society:
“My grandfather had his land stolen twice: once by the communists, and again by the neo-communists who told him the village had run out of land and he couldn’t get back what had been taken from his parents. This is Ion Iliescu’s testament for Romania. I reject it.”
Criticism of Posthumous Silence
Seidler also challenged the idea that one should only speak kindly of the deceased:
“‘Speak only good of the dead’ – that’s for those afraid of ghosts.”
He concluded his message with a sharp remark:
“I hope history books will mention him in the chapter of scoundrels—with a wide grin.”
Dominic Fritz’s Reaction
Dominic Fritz, USR President and Mayor of Timișoara, also commented on Iliescu’s passing. He acknowledged Iliescu’s role in Romania’s strategic alignment with NATO and the EU, but emphasized the unresolved pain left behind:
“Ion Iliescu’s death is painful not because of his departure, but because it leaves so many wounds open. Yes, he played an important role in Romania’s strategic direction toward NATO and the EU—a path that still defines us today. But we cannot ignore the suffering of those who paid with blood during the Revolution and the Mineriads for the right to freedom and democracy.”
Fritz added:
“He oversaw a post-communist system whose tentacles still hold us back. Many are still waiting for justice.”
He closed with a reflection on truth and healing:
“God forgive him. But forgiveness for those whose hope, freedom, and prosperity he took cannot come without truth and justice. Until then, Romania’s fate depends not only on our leaders, but on each of us—on our ability to confront and heal the wounds of the past, and on our courage to turn that confrontation into energy for building the future.”
Ion Iliescu died at the age of 95 after suffering from lung cancer. He had been hospitalized for nearly two months at the Agrippa Ionescu Hospital in Bucharest, where he had requested admission.
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