Independent candidate for the Presidency of Romania, Victor Ponta, made a shocking confession: he flooded Romanian villages to save Belgrade.
Ponta stated, on Wednesday, that in 2014, when he was Prime Minister and Serbia was hit by severe floods, he ordered the opening of the Iron Gates dams. This way, Belgrade was not flooded, but Romanian villages along the Danube were affected.
Ponta specified that he arranged things so that the media wouldn't find out. Furthermore, he boasted that after this decision, he was granted Serbian citizenship.
The presidential candidate also stated that among the houses flooded that year was "Dinescu's winery at the Citadel."
"But I compensated him (Dinescu - ed.). Rest assured I compensated him more than his winery at the Citadel was worth. Come on, it's Belgrade! It's Belgrade where Iancu de Hunedoara defeated Mehmed the Conqueror! How can I say: 'Yeah, flood Belgrade to save Dinescu's citadel?'", Ponta declared.
Here is the dialogue between Victor Ponta and Robert Turcescu (minute 45:05):
Robert Turcescu: How many citizens do you have?
Victor Ponta: At the moment, I have two. I have to go to Belgrade. I have to go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and I will go.
Robert Turcescu: But why did you get Serbian citizenship?
Victor Ponta: They gave it to me because I helped them with an extraordinary thing, which I will write about in my memoir. During the floods, I gave orders over the Romanian structures to open the Iron Gates valley, and this way Belgrade was not flooded. Only a suburb was flooded. But if we hadn't opened the Iron Gates, Belgrade would have been flooded.
Robert Turcescu: So why didn't our people want to open it?
Victor Ponta: Because the Romanian side would have been flooded. And it was flooded. But I spoke with the Emergency Situations Inspectorate, we relocated people, we compensated quickly. You didn't find out anything, press.
Robert Turcescu: And did you think it's better to flood some Romanians than to flood some Serbians?
Victor Ponta: Robert, I called them at midnight, it was a Friday night, I called them all to the Government. In the morning at 5, there were gendarmes, Emergency Situations Inspectorate, everyone in the Romanian villages along the clifftop. I think we flooded Dinescu then, and that's why they don't invite me to join in, because he's always with the pork. But I compensated him. Rest assured I compensated him more than his winery at the Citadel was worth.
Come on, it's Belgrade! It's Belgrade where Iancu de Hunedoara defeated Mehmed the Conqueror! How can I say: 'Yeah, flood Belgrade to save Dinescu's citadel? Dinescu's winery'. Forget it, the winery has been rebuilt, it's very good. That's how it was.
The President didn't grant me citizenship. It was the Parliament that voted. It was an honorary citizenship, I was there at the same time as Steven Seagal. The two of us received citizenship at that time. I was thinking of not being involved in politics anymore. I like Belgrade and I really like Serbia.
Robert Turcescu: And to be able to take the oath as president, you have to renounce Serbian citizenship.
Victor Ponta: Yes, I submitted the request two weeks ago. I have to go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Serbia to sign there.
Following this revelation, Victor Ponta wrote on Facebook on Thursday morning that he is "prepared for all the dirty and desperate attacks of the 'Soros' Network."
"I am prepared for all the dirty and desperate attacks of the 'Soros' Network and of the corrupt who fear me. Nothing and no one can intimidate or stop me on my path now. I will not organize 'backstabbing' like at USR, nor will I hide from debates behind the skirts of a journalist dominated by her own Freudian frustrations! I will continue to present serious projects to Romanians to get us out of the current crisis, to restore their dignity and security for the future!
Romanians should know that, in 2014, the largest floods in the last 120 years in Europe took place, causing victims and huge destruction! Fortunately, in Romania, we took the necessary measures alongside specialists, and no Romanian's life was in danger. Minimal material damages were immediately repaired, and compensations were provided. At the same time, Romania, as a good neighbor, helped countries in danger.
A leader makes quick and correct decisions - and that's what I did! Those who now accuse me with blind hatred were working with me in the Government in 2014! Together, we protected Romanians and helped our neighbors! And that's what we should continue to do!", Ponta wrote.
It is worth mentioning that Sebastian Ghiță, a friend and supporter of Victor Ponta, fled to Serbia in December 2016, being targeted in Romania by several cases.