ROMANIA: A US Republican who left Romania more than 20 years ago has declared herself as a candidate for the country's presidency. Ms Lia Roberts (54), who has dual Romanian and US citizenship, launched her campaign ahead of November 28th elections by pledging to fight corruption, attract foreign investment and raise living standards.
"I am not a typical (Romanian) politician. I have acquired my training in the most democratic country in the world, the United States," said Ms Roberts, who lives in gambling capital Las Vegas. Ms Roberts, who is financing her $15 million campaign herself, said she was confident that her strategy of bringing an American showbiz flavour to Romanian politics would win over the country's 22 million population.
Opinion polls commissioned by Ms Roberts rank her fourth in the race with 10 per cent of the vote.
She has also hired Mr Dick Morris, former US president Bill Clinton's political adviser. Analysts said it was unlikely that a candidate running without the support of a major party would make it to the presidential runoff.
"She is unlikely to get many votes," said Ms Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, president of the Romanian Academic Society think tank. "But she will be a colourful addition to the campaign."