Tariceanu: Speaking of integrity criteria, the President had no hesitation about running for office

Co-chair of Romania's Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, also the chairman of the Romanian Senate, said Wednesday that as of now he does not know of any ALDE member facing juridical problems being on the tickets for the general election. He said there may be people under a criminal investigation, but everybody should enjoy the presumption of innocence. 

"I do not know what penal law problems are supposed to mean. There may be people under some criminal investigation, even a criminal probe, but everybody enjoys the presumption of innocence under the rule of law. Speaking of integrity criteria, and I have noticed the President [Iohannis] doing that, I saw the President had no hesitation about running for office when a court case was underway implicating him and the National Integrity Agency (ANI). Probably all those who voted for him just presumed him innocent, and it is our right to presume the same about our colleagues until proven otherwise,"Tariceanu said after a meeting of the party's Merger Committee. 

Asked whether he will run in the December's general election, Tariceanu answered ironically, "I'll see whether my colleagues support me. If I do not have their backing, well I will keep on thinking until we submit the tickets. I am worried to answer now." AGERPRES