“About 150 years ago, Carol I built the Romanian State on the principle of professionalism. At that time, modern institutions were based on criteria such as professional quality and worth. It was a time of great aspirations towards a higher, national good.
The endeavour of the Royal House, since 1866 to date, has been to put together the country’s positive energies, its skilled and talented people.
For the past twenty years, the system has constantly depended, to a too large extent, on the conduct and actions of often incompetent individuals. Petty interests and superficiality have kept mediocrity in the public space, have imposed false models, with severe social consequences.
I do not come today before the electorate to promise miracles. I do not seek to bring the paradise that others have promised at the end of communism. My candidacy calls Romanians to work with me to awaken this country. To bring order and dignity in Romania’s affairs, to respect public institutions, the Constitution and the laws, to respect ourselves, every day, from dawn to dusk, even when there is no one to see us.”
Your Highness, your candidacy has come as a major surprise. What prompted it, what made you want to run for presidency?
About 150 years ago, Carol I built the Romanian State on the principle of professionalism. At that time, modern institutions were based on criteria such as professional quality and worth. It was a time of great aspirations towards a higher, national good.
The endeavour of the Royal House, since 1866 to date, has been to put together the country’s positive energies, its skilled and talented people.
For the past twenty years, the system has constantly depended, to a too large extent, on the conduct and actions of often incompetent individuals. Petty interests and superficiality have kept mediocrity in the public space, have imposed false models, with severe social consequences.
I do not come today before the electorate to promise miracles. I do not seek to bring the paradise that others have promised at the end of communism. My candidacy calls Romanians to work with me to awaken this country. To bring order and dignity in Romania’s affairs, to respect public institutions, the Constitution and the laws, to respect ourselves, every day, from dawn to dusk, even when there is no one to see us.
Your Highness comes from the structure of civil society, your candidacy is supported by a number of NGOs. How will this ensure the logistics of an electoral campaign, given that you will not have the territorial structure available to candidates coming from political parties?
I rely extensively on volunteers, on people driven by the ideals that I try to further. People with faith and enthusiasm, rather than people with interests and payrolls. It is a privilege for me to be part of this exercise, whose very existence is a success in itself. We have won our Independence by sticking together. We achieved the Great Union because we stayed together. We started to build a modern country because we worked together. We have overcome crises and eventually emerged well from wars because we were together. There is no secret. High-quality people, professionals, do not divide, they do not destroy. Professionals inspire, build and unite. They add value to their profession, to their age and to their country, by working together. Professionals unite, amateurs divide!
An electoral campaign requires a significant financial effort. What are the financial resources you will rely on for campaigning?
I will try to raise funds from as many people as possible, with modest contributions. With this I would like to ensure not only the money, but also people’s solidarity with our common project. He who invests 50 RON in my candidacy will regard my success as his success, and will feel involved. He will pass on my ideas with responsibility and generosity, and will support them as something of his own.
Your Highness, you have presented a 30-year development strategy for Romania. What are the core lines of this strategy?
The 30-year strategy is not an electoral programme, but a commitment of the royal generation represented by Princess Margareta and myself. A president cannot be elected for 30 years, so this view cannot overlap the term in office as President of Romania.
The plan is based on a number of values of Royalty, such as generosity, the power of personal example, responsibility, loyalty and acting as a role model. It brings to the forefront of today’s Romanian society those projects, directions, and principles that we view as critical to enabling Romania to become a stable country. All these are the responsibility of the Romanian society as a whole. We have o intention to replace public institutions in this endeavour. On the contrary, we mean to add value to them.
Where do you stand in relation to the other candidates?
For twenty years, we have voted for either the right, or left. But we have always voted against something, rather than for something. We have always denied, we are yet to build.
I am not a right-wing candidate, nor a left-wing one. I am not a political candidate. I am not before the country today to cast a stone at anyone. I am here today to lay down a stone, to lay a stone at the foundation of a respected Romania that we have forgotten we deserve.
All these distinguish me from the other prospective candidates.
What do you think are the strengths of your candidacy, which will prompt the undecided electorate (61% of the Romanians) to come to polling stations in November 2009. And I would like to point out, in this respect, that from 3% voting intentions for Prince Radu Duda in early April, in mid-April voting intentions rose to 10%.
Meanwhile, on May 22nd, voting intentions had reached 12%.
My decision is intended to help Romania overcome its current political and institutional deadlock. The persistence and escalation of disputes between the country’s main policy-makers risk pushing Romania into political, economic and social chaos, and into international isolation.
As President, I will provide constitutional guarantees for the independence of Justice and for the rule of law, and I will not tolerate injustice and abuse. The value of fairness in the judicial system must be protected at all times and by all means. Romanians must feel well represented and protected in their country, in their Europe and in the world at large.
European Romania, which will be at ease using the values that underlie the modern state, will be a stronger, more pragmatic country, able to withstand times that will very likely be neither quiet, nor peaceful.
Starting in December 2009, Romanians must no longer have to hide their passport, in shame. Respect and justice at home, dignity and pride abroad. Heads up in the world. This will be Romania.
You are a candidate with a “royal aura”, both literally and figuratively speaking. The Royal House is the architect of modern Romania, if Prince Radu Duda is elected President of Romania, the expectations will be huge. What are the first three things you will do if elected President?
I will restore the respectability and effectiveness of Romania’s representation as a state. Currently the presidential representation of the State is severely mistaken for the political-administrative function of the State.
I will bring coherence and competence in the Presidential Institution, which, through the power of personal example, will propagate to the other institutions, which are democratic and responsible.
I will immediately set out to encourage and strengthen local communities, as well as their professions and elites, and to set them free of complexes.
Interview by Virginia MIRCEA
