Ponta: I don't consider Tariceanu a political enemy we should battle until death

Prime Minister and presidential hopeful Victor Ponta declared on Friday at the Congress of the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) that he doesn't consider Senate Speaker Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, himself a candidate for President, as a "political enemy."

Ponta explained that if Calin Popescu-Tariceanu wins the presidential election, they "will work very well together," requesting also the PLR members to support him if his presidential bid is successful.

"I am convinced that we, all those present in this hall, will shoot on December 22 at the Cotroceni Palace a clip fitting under the title 'Farewell, Traian Basescu', and will fulfill the Romanians' wish. We have a hot autumn dedicated to campaigning ahead of us. I don't consider Calin Popescu-Tariceanu or you as political enemies we should battle until death. This is not the case. If Tariceanu is elected President by the Romanians' will, we will work very well together. If I am elected President, I want you to be at the side of PSD, PC and UNPR in a joint effort until 2016, for us to implement what the people have voted for in 2012, namely the USL project, a union of political forces (...) that want the best for this country and its change for the better," said Ponta.

The Prime Minister congratulated the PLR members for having sought the European Liberal family — ALDE, adding that the Liberals need representation at European level and that it's the duty of PLR to repair "the historic mistake" made by the National liberal Party by switching from ALDE to EPP in the European Parliament. AGERPRES