Former Liberal head Antonescu's "probably last" speech to party

Photo credit: (c) Mihai POZIUMSCHI / AGERPRES PHOTO

Crin Antonescu, the former chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL), called the audience at a concert dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the party to defend the values they believed in and the Parliament; he mentioned it was probably the last time he was addressing "such a Liberal gathering."

Photo credit: (c) Mihai POZIUMSCHI / AGERPRES PHOTO

"140 years means a lot. It's an extraordinary age, and extraordinary moment. Like on every celebration of such moments, I am overwhelmed by an emotion that's growing stronger by the year. Very probably, this is the last time I am addressing such a Liberal gathering, therefore I am doing it from all my heart; therefore I have no interests, no expectations and no reservations in these words or behind them," Antonescu said.

He stressed that PNL's experience results from its identity.

"In this anniversary hour, I am telling you with all my love and respect, and from all my heart: probably the parties, just like the individuals, cannot decide their lifespan, but only how they live. The life, the extraordinary experience of the PNL is now and will be overt the next years determined by its identity, by what this party is and by how it lives for Romania. The founders of the PNL, those who later, also through this party, founded Romania as a modern state, those who built the interwar democracy, were certainly an elite. The claim of all of us post-1990 Liberals is to be also an elite, a responsible, generous, dedicated, even serving one. And elites are a little above time, although they work for their contemporaries and for their times," the former PNL head went on.

He also asserted the PNL was "the only institution who has built on long term; and it did so because it has been always hinged...

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