Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan, who is also running as an independent candidate in the May presidential elections, on Wednesday stated that the decision of the USR (Save Romania Union) leadership to support him [instead of this party’s chairwoman Elena Lasconi – editor’s note] in the campaign represents an „absolutely correct” gesture.

He told Antena 3 private television broadcaster that he had „no involvement” in the USR decision.

„I imagine that it is extremely difficult for Elena Lasconi on a personal level, because she had a campaign, she worked for it, but in my opinion this is not about Elena Lasconi or me or Crin Antonescu. This is a very, very serious issue for Romania. In the Republic of Moldova, there is a big fight between pro-Europeans and pro-Russians. The European path of the Republic of Moldova and our citizens there depends on the parliamentary elections this autumn. We have a party there, founded by the mayor of Chisinau, Mr. Ceban, about whom the US State Department says that it is financed by Russia. And we have a candidate, Victor Ponta, who goes to the Republic of Moldova and in order to collect some votes does not support the European cause, he goes and meets with Mr. Ceban and in this way shows his support for him,” said Nicusor Dan.

He added that if the presidential elections are won by Victor Ponta or George Simion, there is a risk that they will block various partnerships or support for Ukraine in the Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT).

„This is what it is about, the possibility that Romania will have a president like Victor Ponta, who has done this and many others; the possibility that Romania will have a president like George Simion, people who can block our various partnerships with allies in the CSAT, can block support for Ukraine. So this is not about Crin Antonescu, nor about me, nor about Mrs. Lasconi as a person. It is about the direction in which Romania will go. And from this perspective, the gesture that the USR made today is absolutely correct,” the general mayor said.

He added that two weeks ago polls indicated that a „pro-Western” and an „anti-Western” candidate would reach the second round of the presidential elections, but that the situation has changed.

„Both George Simion and Victor Ponta said that they would appoint Calin Georgescu [former candidate in the 2024 presidential elections that were canceled – editor’s note] as prime minister, for example. Until two weeks ago, we were in a somewhat different situation. We had all the polls saying that George Simion would enter the second round and the fight for the second round would be between me and Crin Antonescu. And everyone was calm: we will have a pro-Western and an anti-Western candidate and we will see which of the pro-Western candidates will enter the second round and we will see who will win. Now we are in a different context, because there were several polls and people who deal with this job who said that there is a risk that George Simion will be in the final with Victor Ponta. And then, in relation to this situation, obviously all things change and we have to look with great responsibility at what direction Romania will head,” he specified.

AGERPRES