#2019PresidentialElection/Iohannis: I had some achievements that will significantly influence Romania's journey

President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that in the beginning of his mandate he had some achievements that will significantly influence Romania's journey, pointing to the Pact to allot 2 percent of the GDP to Defence and the Sibiu Summit. "I have had a few achievements that will significantly influence Romania's journey for years and years. I would mention just a few, so I don't take up too much of the debate time: that understanding with all the parties to allot 2 percent of the GDP to Romania's Defence has placed us in the position of being a very respected and agreed partner inside NATO and allows us to provide Romanians security in the geopolitical space we live in. Then, towards the end of the mandate, we had that European Summit in Sibiu, in the heart of Romania, where all relevant European leaders participated, in which we shaped up the path of the European Union for the next five-year tenure. I have had a mandate that has begun as a mandate of construction, this how I thought it, but, on the way, I have many times come to the situation in which I had a mandate that, in fact, had to keep Romania in the great coordinates wished by Romanians, opposing the PSD [Social Democratic Party]," Iohannis said at the debate organised in the Aula of the Central University Library. He maintained that he managed to oppose the PSD "enough" to maintain Romania on the European path, in the space of European and transatlantic values. "I have managed to save Romania's image through the foreign policy that I have performed, I have managed to counteract the toxic effects abroad of a PSD governance focused on grabbing the state. For 30 years, the PSD has prevented Romania's development and I believe that now, after 30 years of transition, things must fundamentally change. The PSD must be removed from the decision-making process in the state. But, not anyhow, but democratically," the president said. Iohannis added that, since the tenure beginning, he wished to make a different kind of politics, but he encountered a "strongly hostile" PSD, which, especially after December 2016, came with an approach that threw Romania in chaos, "to save a few criminally convicted," in an attempt to destroy the rule of law and the fight against corruption, however he opposed these demarches using the instruments provided by the Constitution, adding that he was many times successful. He underscored that voting is "extremely important" and represents the manner in which the course of things in Romania can change. Iohannis reiterated that in the runoff he counts on the electorate of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Save Romania Union (USR) - Liberty, Union, Solidarity Party (PLUS) Alliance, People's Movement Party (PMP) and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR). "I am not at war with the PSD electorate, they have the right to be represented by a democratic party and this is why the PSD must be sent to the opposition to reform itself. (...) We will make sure that pensions and salaries increase," the PNL candidate maintained. Moreover, the head of state made a call on young people to turn out to vote. "Voting in vital and if you wish to participate in Romania's construction go to vote on 24 November," Iohannis said. Presidential and state advisors, PNL Chairman and PM Ludovic Orban, Deputy PM Raluca Turcan, campaign staff members of the PNL candidate, Liberals, students are attending the event. AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Adina Panaitescu, editor: Rodica State)