The Mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, an independent candidate for the presidential runoff, believes that his chances of success increase if there will be a high turnout at the polls on May 18.

„We all have to look at the sociological analyses: how many people say they will come to vote; How many of those who voted for other candidates, in what way they switched gear… But, in principle, yes. In principle, a presence of 11 million gives me very high chances to win,” Dan told a news briefing on Wednesday.

As for participating in an electoral debate with his opponent, George Simion, the mayor of Bucharest said that such events should be organised by TV channels or other credible organisations.

„For now, there are a few, for next week. These are the serious things that I said I would participate in,” he replied.

Dan rejected the idea that he would „run away” from a debate.

„I think that Romanians judge with their heads and see what is serious and what is flawed in this campaign. We will have some debates that I hope they will come to, seriously organised by television channels,” he said.

Dan added that one of the issues that should be debated on in the two weeks of campaigning is the „culture of dialogue” in the Romanian society. He stressed that politicians must send messages that unite society, not that „incite” violence.

„I have been in the public space for 20 years and I have never promoted hatred. Of course, I have criticised many people, in decades’ terms, with arguments. But I never promoted hatred. And I think that one of the themes of this presidential debate is a culture of dialogue as opposed to a culture of hatred.”

As for the appeal filed with the Constitutional Court (CCR) for the annulment of the election, Dan said he was not confident that the approach would have chances of success.

„I don’t think so… These are unserious things. We had an electoral process, with the nuances I said, with cyber-attacks and with the things I said and, obviously, I don’t retract. However, campaigning is over. The results are the ones we know. I don’t see any reason,” said Dan.

Chairman of the New Romania Party Sebastian Popescu, another candidate in the May 4 presidential election rerun, said on Tuesday that he asked the Constitutional Court to annul the May 4 election, for a central reason being that „not all the electoral competitors, the 11, had equal chances in the rerun.”

AGERPRES