Romanian presidential candidates have their first debate, the voting abroad gets the focus

The two candidates who are running in the second round of the presidential elections in Romania,Prime Minister Victor Ponta (right photo) and Sibiu’s mayor Klaus Iohannis (on the left), had their first debate since the beginning of the campaign, on Tuesday, November 11, on the Realitatea TV news channel. The debate was re-broadcasted by most of the local news channels. The first part of their debate was focused on the voting abroad, which generated many controversies after the first round, because many Romanians who went to vote in some of Europe’s largest cities didn’t get the chance to exercise their rights due to poor organization. They protested saying that the Government led by Victor Ponta has denied them the right to vote because there were too few voting wards. This even led to the resignation of the foreign affairs minister Titus Corlatean, who was replaced by former presidential candidate Teodor Melescanu, on Monday, November 10. Ponta was first asked by the debate moderator, Realitatea TV’s Rares Bogdan, if voting wards abroad will be supplemented. He avoided a straight answer and said that all of the Romanians abroad will get the chance to vote and that the voting procedures in the second round will be simpler so to allow more people to vote. He then asked his opponent Klaus Iohannis, a German ethnic by birth, how many voting wards should there be in Germany. Iohannis replied accusing Ponta that he “suppressed the people’s right to vote” by poorly organizing the elections. Ponta, in return, accused Iohannis of having confiscated this problem and turning it into an electoral theme. The two then started throwing "punches" at each other. Ponta told Iohannis that he generally doesn’t know the reality about Romanians living abroad. He asked Iohannis when was he in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, and in Cernauti, in Ukraine, where there’s also a large community of Romanians. He also asked him if he knew where the largest Romanian communities in Italy are located. To this, Iohannis replied saying that Ponta didn’t solve anything by visiting Romanian communities in Italy and Spain if he didn’t manage to properly organize the elections abroad. “This is why you are Prime Minister, to solve the problems, not to tell them,” Iohannis said, adding that he will continue to press the Prime Minister on this issue until all Romanians who want to vote will have the opportunity to do it. “The important thing is that in over 18,000 voting wards (in Romania and abroad - e.n.) Romanians had no problems voting and that abroad all those who will want to vote will be able to do it,” Ponta said. The debate went on with the two candidates attacking each other on corruption and economic issues. Iohannis said that he will guarantee the independence of justice, while Victor Ponta replied with some examples of liberal and democratic liberal members in Iohannis’ camp who are also investigated for corruption and who were defended by their political parties. Pensions were also a hot topic. “Mr. Ponta, why did you lie to retirees that I will cut pensions?” Iohannis asked. “I will ask you to show more respect. You are supported by those who have cut pensions,” Ponta replied. Iohannis contradicted Ponta and said that pensions were not cut because the Consitutional Court didn’t allow it and that he would not cut pensions if he gets elected president. Ponta then asked Iohannis if he knew what pension does his mother-in-law get. They then went on a personal dispute, each asking the other to apologize for the attacks made on their families during the campaign. Iohannis made an apology, but Ponta just thanked him without making one in return. The debate on taxes, economic growth and unemployment was rather light, each of the candidates throwing in some figures and facts about the current state of the economy and about the worrying forecasts for next year, as well as promises that they will make it better, without talking about actual solutions. Ponta seemed better prepared with numbers, as he also had a lot of papers with him. Ponta and Iohannis should meet for a second debate on Wednesday, November 12, on B1 TV news channel.