Main Opposition Presidential Candidate Leaves Race Eight Weeks Ahead of Polls

Theodor Stolojan, leader of the National Liberal Party (NLP), made a surprise statement in a press conference Saturday when he announced he opted out of the presidential race and delegated the party leadership to his next in command.

Stolojan said health reasons prevented him from carrying on with his political plans, but did not give any details as to the problems he has.
NLP vice-president Calin Popescu Tariceanu will take over both the party presidency and the co-presidency of the opposition Truth and Justice Alliance of the NLP and Democrat Party (DP).

Stolojan’s move places the Alliance in a hot spot, as it forces it to name another candidate for the presidency eight weeks ahead of the elections day.
The NLP executive leadership assembled on Sunday and decided to propose for the job Traian Basescu, DP leader. This means that the liberals will get the prime-ministership. The proposal will be put forward to the NLP Permanent Delegation to meet on Monday at 10:00 a.m.

Basescu said in a Sunday press-conference that Stolojan’s health is not as bad as one might have assumed, but that his problems stemmed in fact from "stress caused by the political blackmail he was subjected to lately."
According to Basescu, doctored documents were to be released to the media referring to business deals going wrong, like the Megapower business deal, or to the fact that 20 years ago Stolojan allegedly was a patient in a mental facility near Predeal.

These were stressful issues that Stolojan was not ready to take in head on, Basescu implied.
He also said that he would be ready to take over the task of running for Romania’s presidency, if the NLP would propose this to him.
"Definitely, if the NLP will make this proposal, I will run for the presidency. There is no other solution in sight. Failure of that would mean that the final race will take place between Adrian Nastase [PM and leader of the ruling Social Democrat Party] and Corneliu Vadim Tudor [leader of the nationalist Greater Romania Party]," said Basescu.

The whole political class reacted promptly at Stolojan’s announcement of Saturday, all politicians whishing him first and foremost good health.
Stolojan’s move was commented in various ways by political pundits and journalists, who stressed that Stolojan’s health problems were an open secret for months. Last Thursday however, Basescu was denying media rumors that Stolojan will give up running for the top office.

Stolojan is a member of NLP since July 2000.
During 2000 - 2002 he was the president of the National Council, and in August 2002 he was elected president of the party. He also was finance minister in 1991 and PM during 1991 - 1992.
Stolojan became the presidential candidate running for the NLP-DP Alliance by decision of the DP National Council of December 13, 2003, and the National Representatives of the NLP Delegation of February 5, 2004. NLP and DP started to collect signatures supporting Stolojan’s bid for the presidency in mid-August.

Quite memorable was Basescu’s reaction at the Saturday’s press-conference: he barely found his words and was in tears when thanking his liberal colleague for all his work benefiting Romania and the two parties making the Alliance. In the press-conference next day, however, Basescu regained his usual feisty stamina and said that he did not talk about the blackmail Stolojan was subjected to because of his own emotional status and because the liberal leader did not want to make public such issues.