Political and economic subjects intertwine in today's papers as Liberals elect their new party leader, supported even by former Social Democratic President Ion Iliescu. One of the richest men, Sorin Ovidiu Vantu declares in an interview that it is businessmen who are called upon to save the country from an economic crisis and not politicians.

As Crin Antonescu became the new leader of the Liberal party, political declarations did not take long to appear, Cotidianul reads on Monday. Democrat Liberal Valeriu Stoica does not exclude a new bound to the Liberal Party, in the future.

He declared, quoted by Mediafax that for now Democrat Liberals have a governmental coalition with the Social Democrats. Stoica reiterated his party's honesty and loyalty to the coalition. Stoica said that, depending on medium and long term evolutions, a possible alliance with the Liberal party will be considered.

However, other Democrat Liberal leaders attack Antonescu: PDL vice president Theodor Stolojan declared that Antonescu is a pragmatic man who disappears for a month or two without no explanation. Other Democrat Liberals underline that Antonescu fails to understand that political performance is measured in actions not words.

In an exclusive interview for Gandul, former President Ion Iliescu, a Social Democrat endorses the new Liberal party leader, Crin Antonescu as the best counter-candidate for President Basescu. Iliescu declared that he would have wanted Antonescu in the Social Democratic camp, because he considers that Antonescu is closer to them than to the Liberals.

Iliescu explained that Antonescu's main disadvantage is that he does not have the support of a strong party like the Social Democratic one. However, he declared that he cannot say whether he is better than the current PSD party leader, Mircea Geoana.

At his turn, PSD party leader Mircea Geoana declared for the newspaper that he will ignore Crin Antonescu as he does not consider that he has a shot in the presidential elections.

Romanian businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vantu, owner of Realitatea - Catavencu media outlet thinks that no one will be able to beat President Basescu unless Romania will fall in a severe economic crisis, Evenimentul Zilei reads.

Vantu declared that it is the businessmen who are called upon to save the country from an economic crisis and not politicians. Therefore, he urges the media to pay businessmen more respect. He underlines that even though his past reveals close relations to important political leaders across political camps, he cannot be accused of having an influence over politics through his media outlet.

He declared that he owns institutions and not people and thus cannot command them as suited. In the interview, Vantu declared that he is a victim of urban legends and that he has never made any business with the state and thus no one can claim he has an interest in politics.