The December 12th ballot represents the confirmation of and the functionality of the Romanian democracy

First I would like to inform you that this morning the Romanian President Mr. Ion Iliescu has called Mr. Traian Basescu and has congratulated him for the victory he had gained in the second ballot of the elections. They have had a friendly conversation and they have agreed on a meeting for Thursday, December 16th. They are going to have a bilateral meeting as well as a meeting including their main collaborators. These meetings are necessary in order to ensure a proper transfer of the prerogatives, of the authority and of the documents as well as for reviewing the international agenda that the Romanian President must dedicate himself to during the following period.

As well, I would like to tell you that the Romanian President Mr. Ion Iliescu has invited Mr. Traian Basescu to join him in the Brussels European Council Reunion on December 17th. It is in this reunion that the political decision of closing the negotiations with the European Union is going to be acknowledged and the elected President, the President and the Prime Minister are all going to participate. In the Romanian President's opinion this is going to be a very good manner of showing that democracy is working in Romania and that all is returning to normality.

The President of Romania Mr. Ion Iliescu salutes the fair and appropriate way that the second ballot of the elections took place and appreciates the civic sense of the Romanian citizens. The December 12th ballot represents the confirmation of the durability and the functionality of the Romanian democracy, of our return to normality 15 years after the Romanian Revolution in 1989.

As I have said before, the Romanian President Mr. Ion Iliescu publicly and sincerely congratulates the DA Alliance PNL-PD candidate Mr. Traian Basescu and wishes him good luck with fulfilling the important task of ensuring the social and political stability that Romania needs in order that we are able to continue the process of economic growth and fulfill the goal of joining the European Union.

As well, the Romanian President Mr. Ion Iliescu wishes to congratulate Mr. Adrian Nastase, the candidate of the PSD+PUR Union, for the responsible way of promoting his message and political project.

Mr. Ion Iliescu thanks the Romanian Prime Minister and all members of the Romanian Government for the good collaboration during the past 4 years and appreciates the Government's performance that allowed Romania to join the NATO and to finalize the negotiations for joining the European Union.

The Romanian President considers that we are facing a new phase in the Romanian nation's development. It is now that all political forces and all citizens must prove responsibility and civic sense as well as social and national solidarity in order that we continue what we started in 1989.

As this is, probably, my last meeting with you as Spokesperson for the Romanian President I wish to thank you personally for the good collaboration that we have developed during these years. I think that not only have we managed to cooperate but also we have developed a somewhat affectionate relationship. I hope we meet again someday.

Anyway, I very much cared for thanking you once again and I wish you the best of luck with your life and career.