LocalElections2020/Ciolos: September 27 can be the moment of a new beginning when we can rid ourselves of corruption virus

Chairman of the Liberty, Unity and Solidarity Party (PLUS) Dacian Ciolos declared on Saturday in Ploiesti that election day - September 27 can be "the moment of a new beginning for Romania" if the citizens turn out to vote, as this is the chance to rid the country of the "corruption virus".

"Now is the time to make this change, and September 27 can be the moment of a new beginning, if we understand that by turning out to vote on September 27 we can get rid of another virus that has been marauding us for years, the virus of corruption, of deception, of indifference and lack of professionalism," Ciolos told a press conference today.

He pointed out that the goal of the USR PLUS alliance is the modernization of the country, doing away with the power-thirsty barons and corruption.

"Through our candidates in the local elections, the USR PLUS alliance will make a breach in the public administration on September 27. That's why our goal is to have mayors, councilors in all local councils, because as long as there are honest, competent and professional people in these structures, those who have so far done their shady deals hidden from the eyes of the citizens (...) will no longer be able to do this. I am referring here to the entire political class so far. (...) That is why the USR PLUS candidates are the sustainable change for rendering Romania theft-free. (...) We will battle to eliminate corruption, but not just that. We also have a development plan for education, for health, for economic development and job creation, but all these investments (...) don't make sense if we do not eradicate corruption, if we do not stop corruption," said Dacian Ciolos.

The former Prime Minister went on to say that this year's local and parliamentary elections are more important than ever, given the current context created by the pandemic.

"Unfortunately, in Romania this pandemic comes against the background of a state weakness, of a weak, poorly public administration, and this is visible much more in Romania than in other European Union countries in the lack of organization, in the people's insecurity, in the lack of predictability. (...) The problems we have cannot be solved by immediate decisions alone, we need deeper reforms. (...) The weaknesses of the state was showing in the time of the PSD rule. We've seen the Caracal case and many other cases where the citizens said that they lost their confidence in the state. (...) Therefore, the September 27 local elections and the parliamentary elections in early December are much more important for Romania than anytime in recent years, not only because we are going through this pandemic (...), but because if we see these moments of crisis as an opportunity, now it's the time to make some profound changes that will bring more security for the people and more development opportunities for Romania," said the PLUS Chairman, who pointed out in conclusion that the lack of coherence in the organization of the education system in the current health context is closely related to the politicization of the entire system.