Orban, on relation with PM Citu: We collaborate, fundamental objective is governing not be affected

The chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Ludovic Orban, said on Sunday, in Arad, that his relation with Prime Minister Florin Citu has not changed after the latter entered the competition for the party's chairmanship, stating that collaboration exists and that their joint objective is for the internal elections to not affect the act of governing, agerpres reports.

Asked in a press conference at the Arad branch of the PNL if his relation with Florin Citu changed in the recent period, the PNL leader responded: "From my point of view, no. Florin Citu is the Prime Minister of the National Liberal Party, we collaborate, I as chairman, Florin Citu as Prime Minister of the PNL, we consult, we make decisions together, we represent the PNL at the Coalition's meetings and obviously we have common positions, not different positions. (...) Our fundamental objective is that this competition not affect the governing act."

Furthermore, asked how many branches support his run for a new mandate as PNL chairman, Orban stated: "Many. But you should know that at the Congress you shouldn't count just branches, at the Congress each delegate must be talked to. In the Congress there will be 5,000 delegates attending and my way of campaigning obviously is that to have as best of a relationship with the leaders of the branches, with the PNL representatives in the local and central administration, but my way of campaigning is to campaign to each PNL member and, when we will know the delegates, each delegate."

The PNL chair said that the position of an organization leader is not sufficient, even if it may bear influence.

"It's the option of each PNL member in his turn. Surely if the chair positions himself together with a candidate, he expresses his own personal option, not necessarily that of the members in the respective branch, which may have an effect on the members in that branch, but not a decisive effect," Orban added.

He emphasized that "there is a long period of time until September 25," and that he will attend all of the PNL's county conferences that his agenda will allow.

Ludovic Orban is present in Arad to attend, on Sunday, the final of the Romanian Cup in women's football, which is taking place on UTA stadium, but also had meeting with PNL mayors from the county and local leaders of the party.