INTERVIEW. The first PSD leader to break the blockade of neutrality: “I vote with Nicușor Dan. Simion does not give me the guarantees that in five years I will be able to vote”

Alfred Simonis, president of the Timiș County Council and former president of the Chamber of Deputies, claims in an interview for Hotnews that “George Simion is a man who endangers democracy, is a man who endangers whatever Romania has achieved in recent years.

• Simonis believes that PSD members should be allowed to present their option for the second round candidates. He says that this does not mean that “sets the party with who people vote”, because “people have access to information”, but only that he expresses his opinion because “it is an extremely important moment for Romania, probably the hardest after 35 years.”

Reporter: Ten days before the second round of presidential elections do you have an option to make: George Simion or Nicușor Dan?
Alfred Simonis (PSD): Romania is at a crossroads. The options we have do not fully thank. I separate a lot of things from Nicușor Dan, but everything separates me from George Simion.

George Simion is a man who endangers democracy, is a man who endangers whatever Romania has achieved in recent years. All those who believe that George Simion brings prosperity, justice, justice is wrong. It will bring chaos, isolation, bring economic regress, lack of investments, jobs, maybe we will arrive in times when we cannot pay wages, pensions, allowances.

I will vote Nicușor Dan not because I sympathize with him, I separate a lot from his reign, but I wish that in five years I can go to the vote and replace it with another better. The other option, George Simion, does not give me the guarantees that I will be able to vote over five years.

I know it sounds dramatic, but this is the truth. I will choose rationally, I will choose Nicușor Dan. He is a man who cannot question the pro-Europeanism, competences, certain intellectual capabilities. That I am not satisfied with the pace at which the capital has developed, that I am not satisfied with other projects that his reign has, it is true.

But there is a colossal difference between the two candidates and this difference is in favor of Nicușor Dan.

“Think about how this character will behave if he ever has the power”

Reporter: You had personal, almost physical conflicts, with George Simion, the president of Gold. For this reason you do not vote or is this an extra reason to not vote it?
Alfred Simonis (PSD): I have this option not because I had conflicts with George Simion. I had that conflict with George Simion because he told me he would rape my mother. I am a man, when you hear this you lose control. I regretted that I did it. It is an advantage that I have interacted with his reign in Parliament in these years, I know what kind of character he is. No personal relationships prevail.

Simply between the two I have the guarantee with Nicușor Dan, although I do not expect Miracles, I am a pessimistic, but between the two options the only one that guarantees my pro-European path, investments, and everything that means Romania today, which is imperfect, but which is on a normal road. The only one who guarantees this is Nicușor Dan, from the two.

Reporter: You said that George Simion could be a danger to democracy, that you do not know if you will be able to vote freely. Do you consider it such a great danger?
Alfred Simonis (PSD): When you put your tricolor on your back and step on the constitution, the risks are extremely high. When you aggressing journalists, when you aggress the ministers, everyone opposing, former allies, everyone who does not agree with you, this denotes tyrannical behavior, which was manifested when you had no power.

Think about how this character will behave if he ever has the power, if we refer to how he behaved when he did not.

Reporter: George Simion said he is an opponent of the PSD and that is why he had harsh positions in the public space.
Alfred Simonis (PSD): He had conflicts with everyone, not just with PSD. He had with the PSD, with his former allied – shock, he had with the Liberals, with the USR, with everyone, he had conflicts with people on the street. There are videos when they aggress people on the street.

From my point of view, Nicușor Dan is the option.

“It is less important what the European socialists want, it is more important what we want”

Reporter: PSD should make a similar ad and declare their support for pro -European forces or PSD remains with the decision not to have a firm option?
Alfred Simonis (PSD): I would like the party to leave free. I do not need this opinion from the party, but there are probably other colleagues waiting for a decision, to indicate that they can manifest themselves in one way or another. The party should decide that its leaders have the right to manifest themselves for one candidate or another. I hope that the vast majority of those in the PSD would be with Nicușor Dan, even if hard and trembling.

A party decision makes no sense. I saw in November 2024 and a few days ago that the parties no longer put candidates in the second round and no longer take the natural person. That means progress, people have access to information, no longer ask who to vote, the mayor, parliamentarian, the head of the County Council.

It should not establish one party or another with whom they vote, but I have publicly manifested myself in support of a candidate because I think it is appropriate.

A decision not to intervene in one way or another is at least regrettable, not to say wrong.

Reporter: Did European socialists ask you to have a delimitation position by George Simion?
Alfred Simonis (PSD): I don't know. It is less important what European socialists want, it is more important what we want. I think that beyond what Europe wants, America, we must have our own conscience, we must be state -owned people.

Let us understand that it is an extremely important moment for Romania, probably the hardest after 35 years and that, at this moment, we must be state -owned people, we must not be politicians.

We must make the decision not calculated to the electoral effect, not with the thought of the following elections, not with the thought of who swears and who applauds us, but simply what is more beneficial for Romania, and the answer is very clear.