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The former president Ion Iliescu, interview for TASS: I hope the Romanian politicians will understand the importance of normalization of the relations with Russia
The former president Ion Iliescu offered an interview to the Russian press agency TASS, after a long period when he was not present in the public life in Bucharest, he showing his hope that the Romanian politicians will understand the importance of the normalization of the relations with Russia, according to Digi 24.
Asked how he evaluates the present state of the bilateral relations and the way they should be, these relations, Ion Iliescu says that today the relations between Romania and Russia cannot be called normal according to any criterion, and the Romanian politicians should understand the importance of the normalization of the relations with Russia, says Digi 24.
‘The relations between Romania and Russia cannot be considered normal after any criterion. I want to say that life in the shadow of the empire is not comfortable for countries such as Romania and not all memories are pleasant. I hope the Romanian politicians will understand that the normalization of the relations with Russia, besides commerce and cultural exchanges will extend Romania’s ability to take part in finding solutions to the issues with the neighbouring countries, including in Moldova and Ukraine where, of course, it has interests’ the former president says. He states that normality in the Romanian-Russian relations represents mutual respect, observance of the legitimity of the interests of the other party, if they are within the limits allowed by the international community.
The author of the interview Nikolai Morozov says that the former president, now aged 89, does not take part in any public events, required the mobile ballot box, does not offer interviews anymore, ‘ for the TASS journalist, Iliescu made an exception’.
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Ion Iliescu served as President of Romania from 1989 until 1996, and from 2000 until 2004. From 1996 to 2000 and from 2004 until his retirement in 2008, Iliescu was a senator for the Social Democratic Party (PSD), of which he is the founder and honorary president.
He joined the Communist Party in 1953 and became a member of its Central Committee in 1965. However, beginning with 1971, he was gradually marginalized by Nicolae Ceausescu. He had a leading role in the Romanian Revolution, becoming the country's president in December 1989. In May 1990, he became Romania's first freely elected head of state. After a new constitution was approved by popular referendum, he served a further two terms as president, from 1992 to 1996, and from 2000 to 2004, separated by the presidency of Emil Constantinesu, who defeated him in 1996.
Iliescu is widely recognized as a predominant figure in the first fifteen years of post-revolution politics. During his presidency, Romania joined NATO . In April 2018, Ion Iliescu was charged in Romania with committing crimes against humanity during the deadly aftermath of the country's 1989 revolution.