President Iohannis: The idea of pact is good if it comes after a validation

President Klaus Iohannis stated on Saturday in Venus seaside resort that Prime Minister Viorica Dancila's intention to propose the parliamentary parties a national pact for Romanians' welfare is an electoral action, the idea of pact being good if it comes after a validation. "You see, we are now basically in an electoral campaign, even if, we formally are in the pre-electoral campaign and all the competitors are trying to present attractive approaches and matters for the electorate. So far, nothing wrong. However, we have to understand that what is being done now with this pact, and others have tried to come up with all sort of pact documents, are electoral actions. We read them and move on. But the idea of a cross-party agreement, the idea of a pact is good if it comes after a validation, and I have come before the nation twice with such a document," Iohannis said, when answering a question regarding the Prime Minister's initiative. The head of state gave as example the pact on Defence and the one on Justice. "The first time, immediately after I was elected by 6 million Romanians in November 2014, I came up with a pact that has proven to be extremely beneficial to Romania, you remember that pact on Defence, under which we established to earmark 2 percent of the GDP for Defence. A pact that brought us great visibility and took us into the spotlight in the European Union and, obviously, in NATO. I also came after the referendum of 26 May with such a pact, for the European course [of Romania], being validated by 6.5 million Romanians who voted Yes for the referendum I proposed. Thus, after a validation by vote, a cross-party agreement can be beneficial, and after we win the elections, we will probably come before the Romanians with such agreements that are necessary to move toward a normal Romania," the head of state said. Klaus Iohannis participated on Saturday in the meeting of the National Liberal Youth (TNL) Summer School, en event unfolding between 12 and 15 September in Venus seaside resort. AGERPRES (RO - author: Nona Jalba, editor: George Onea; EN - editor: Rodica State)