Vitaly Portnikov. Izarescu or Iliescu?

Izareska or Ilieska?
Vitaly Portnikov

Publication date: August 22, 2000

When , at the end of July, Romanian President Emil Constantinescu announced his refusal to participate in the presidential elections scheduled for November, most observers predicted an undisputed victory for the previous president of Romania, the legendary Ion Iliescu , who led the country immediately after the overthrow of the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and is identified in the West with post-communist nomenklatura. It seemed that the Romanian right really had no one to oppose the charismatic left leader - especially after the disappointed speech of the country's current president, who admitted his own personnel and political mistakes.

And yet, an alternative candidate emerged. This is the current Romanian Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu , a personality much better known in the West than in Russia. And, by the way, it enjoys a very high reputation in international financial organizations and among Western economists.

Until recently, 51-year-old Izarescu did not participate at all in the political life of the country. He is a professional economist, immediately after receiving his education he began working at the Bucharest Institute of World Economics. And only in 1990, after the overthrow of Ceausescu, the new government of the country invited Izarescu to head the National Bank of Romania. As chairman of the National Bank, Isarescu established himself as not just a staunch, but above all a competent supporter of market mechanisms and Romania's European integration. Therefore, when the economic situation in the country began to deteriorate, President Constantinescu invited the head of the National Bank to head the government. This happened quite recently, in December last year, but already during this period, according to the Bulgarian newspaper Capital , the new cabinet managed to control inflation, stop the economic decline that had lasted for the last three years, and conduct successful negotiations with the IMF. Therefore, it is no coincidence that Izarescu became the last hope not only of the Romanian right, but above all of intellectuals who expect to sooner or later see their country in the European Union. Izarescu is running as an independent candidate, supported by a group of prominent professionals and intellectuals. 300 popular personalities - leaders of various parties, scientists, pop singers, directors, artists - made an appeal in support Izarescu . The head of this group, academician Nicolae Manolescu, calls the Prime Minister a competent person capable of solving the problems associated with the transition to a market economy and a democratic society. “He is one of those new Romanian politicians who are leading the country into the European Union,” says the academician.

Opinion polls show that the current Prime Minister has a chance of defeating Ion Iliescu; moreover, Izarescu will most likely turn out to be the favorite in the upcoming elections.

However, the current prime minister may be hampered by the ambitions of the former prime minister, Theodor Stoloyan. Stoloyan is like Izarescu from the past. At one time, with a similar deterioration in the economic situation, the president - then not Constantinescu, but Iliescu - called on a technocrat for help. Stoloyan managed to improve his situation somewhat, but after the right won the presidential and parliamentary elections, he found himself out of work. And now the former head of government, who also enjoys authority in society, is going to run for president as a candidate of the Liberal Party .

As a result, the reform electorate may become divided between the two technocrats. But even in this case, one of them - most likely Izarescu - has the opportunity to enter the second round with the former president of the country. The only way for Ion Iliescu to return to power is to win the elections in the first round. Judging by the latest statements by the ex-president's representatives, his team will be banking on just such a victory.