“Moldova is the most important thing for Romania. I dream that Moldova will become an EU member in 2019,” candidate for the presidency of Romania Victor Ponta said in the electoral debates staged by the Romanian TV channel “Antena 3”, IPN reports.

Victor Ponta stated that Romania is not the Soviet Union and will not occupy Moldova with tanks. If somebody wants to leave Moldova without gas, Romania will help it.

Moldovan Premier Iurie Leanca made a phone call during the debate to express his support for Victor Ponta. ”My relationship with Victor Ponta started one year and four months ago, when I became Prime Minister. I support him out of friendship, but also out of pragmatism. The relations between Chisinau and Bucharest cannot be determined by political affinities only,” he said.

Victor Ponta thanked Iurie Leanca, noting that he is honored to enjoy his support and is proud of their affiliation. “My friendship with Iurie developed after he said that the Moldovan citizens who suffered in time want to become European citizens. One of the happiest memories in my life as Premier was when I went to Brussels together with Iurie Leanca and we were received by the then President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso. He took part in a news conference together with us and said that the Moldovan citizens will travel visa-free in Europe,” he stated.

Victor Ponta’s opponent Klaus Iohannis was absent from the debates organized by “Antena 3”.