If Firea was an alternative for the Capital City Hall, I would not have entered the race / There are three candidates who represent the past

The PNL candidate for the position of mayor of the capital, Sebastian Burduja, says that he signed up in a “close” electoral race, in which there are “four candidates with chances”, and the votes will be fragmented, reports Agerpres.

“Unfortunately, every day that passed in these debates, withdrawals, scenarios, polls, comments, hypotheses was a lost day in which Bucharest was not talked about. (…) This definitely benefited the incumbent mayor. (…) In Bucharest, PNL appointed its own candidate after eight years. (…) I think it is an open race in which the four candidates have a chance to win and I think the elections will be close. On June 9, it will be a close battle, between 20-30% between the four. (…) In the current formula, in which there are four candidates with chances, the premise is created that the best will win, because the votes will probably be split between the four, and then each of us has a chance to be the first place”, said Burduja, on Friday, at Digi 24.

He pointed out that he “doesn’t go by the polls” but that he wants to present the people of Bucharest with an alternative, for himself Bucharest “being the most important engine of Romania.

“The other three candidates are or were mayors in Bucharest. The people of Bucharest clarified what they managed to do. If they are satisfied or consider that they did a good job, I ask them not to vote for me. (…) For me, the position is not a stake in itself. I didn’t run after functions. For me, it is important to present my ideas and values ​​to the people of Bucharest. This is important. That some colleagues believe that, in 2028, there will be great chances, is their analysis. Anyway, I’m not fighting for a mayor’s seat, I’m fighting for my ideas. It is a picture in which there are three candidates who represent, from my point of view, the past and we know, we clarified, what they can and cannot do and there is my candidacy which means a chance to change Bucharest, a chance that it is based on a very concrete plan, on a team and on the results obtained in the public positions I held. I think that in a short time, both in Digitalization and in Energy, we delivered performance”, added Burduja.

Regarding Gabriela Firea’s mandate as general mayor, Burduja said: “If I had considered that there was an alternative in her person, I would not have registered in this race. (…) That is why I am obliged and I did not sit on the sidelines. Let’s face it, it’s a difficult race, time is very short. There were many hesitations that disappointed the people of Bucharest. We must not hide from this. I come and present this alternative because I feel it is my duty as a citizen. I think that after 34 years, Romania can become an example with a decent campaign, focused on solutions. (…) The main message for Mrs. Gabriela Firea would be to have a fair competition, based on solutions and based on the results of each one, in the public positions she held”.

The question that Burduja sent to Gabriela Firea was: “What did he not do in the first term and does he think he could do now, in 2024?”

Sebastian Burduja specified that, starting from Monday, he will be on unpaid leave at the Ministry of Energy and his ministerial duties will be delegated to the general secretary.