POLITICS - February 17th 2005
Radu Opaina is the man the Romanian Humanist Party chose to run on its ticket for the local elections in Bucharest.
By LAVINIA DIMANCEA
Opaina said he decided to go into politics because there was no other way for him to help the Bucharest dwellers. He had talks with several parties, but he opted in the end for the RHP as he considered it to be the most appropriate one for his plans.
Opaina pointed out that he is familiar with matters of local administration as a former general manager of the heat distribution company in Bucharest.
"I was unable to lead that company the way I would have wanted to because of my relationship with the owner of the company, which was the Bucharest City Hall. But that experience only hardened my resolve to be more determined in my deeds," said Opaina.
Both he and Voiculescu expressed their confidence that he will get in the second round of elections against Adriean Videanu, who runs for the alliance of the National Liberal and Democrat parties.
Voiculescu also said that his party, though part of the ruling coalition, chose to have its own candidate because "it was not normal for an independent party to support the candidate of another party." When asked why another, more experienced member of the party, was not selected as RHP candidate for the City Hall, Voiculescu said that being a member of the party for a long time was irrelevant.
George Copos, president of the RHP Bucharest branch, said Opaina will have all the support of the local party organization.
Translated by ANCA PADURARU