Mari români, cu care am avut privilegiul să fiu contemporan – ION RAŢIU

România organiza în primăvara lui 1990 primele alegeri libere şi democratice de după cel de-al II-lea război mondial. Pe 25 mai, Ion Iliescu devine preşedintele României. În favoarea sa s-au pronunţat 12.232.498 de alegători. Prezenţa la vot a fost atunci de 14.826.616 de alegători dintr-un total de 17.200.722 înscrişi pe liste.

Nu am votat, dar am simpatizat. L-am susţinut, în aprinsele controverse politice avute pe atunci cu familia şi prietenii, pe cel mai “chic” candidat şi anume pe candidatul ţărănist Ion Raţiu. Comentariile bunicii mele vis a vis de sănătatea mea mintală precum şi faţă de candidaţii liberalilor şi ţărăniştilor nu pot fi reproduse aici.

Ignorând părerea unora dintre cei ce înfăptuiseră “Revoluţia” şi care cântau zi de zi in Piaţă:

"Mai bine haimana, decât trădător
Mai bine golan, decât dictator
Mai bine huligan, decât securist
Mai bine mort, decât comunist!", 12.232.498 de alegători au ales, în mod democratic, noul preşedinte.

Scorul final a fost: 

Ion Iliescu (FSN) 85,07%, adica 10.086.303 voturi

Radu Câmpeanu (PNL) 10,64% , adică 1.529.188 voturi
Ion Raţiu (PNŢCD) 4,29%, adică 617.007 de voturi

Îl voi prezenta, pe scurt, pe medaliatul cu bronz al acestei competiţii:

ION RAŢIU

6 June 1917 – 17 January 2000

Ion Raţiu, the elected leader of the World Union of Free Romanians, based in London, was the most outspoken and consistent voice of opposition to Nicolae Ceausescu. Journalist, broadcaster and author, he was also a successful businessman in shipping and property, while simultaneously assisting in the rescue and support of many who fled Ceausescu’s dictatorship.

Ion Raţiu was born in Turda, Transylvania, on 6 June 1917. After studying Law and joining the army, in April 1940 he entered Romania’s Foreign Service. He was sent to London as a chancellor at the Romanian Legation. Shortly afterwards, with Romania’s alignment with the Axis powers, the young Ratiu resigned his post and obtained political asylum in Britain. He won a scholarship to study economics at St. John’s College, Cambridge. After the communists came to power in Romania in 1947, Ion Raţiu remained in exile in London. Even from the beginning of WWII, he joined the fight against totalitarianism of any political colour, helping to organise the Central European Student and Youth Society.

In the late 1950s, he started publishing the Free Romanian Press, a weekly news bulletin. He also contributed regularly to the BBC Romanian service, Radio Free Europe, or The Voice of America. In 1975, the year he published ‘Contemporary Romania’, he decided to devote all his energy to the pursuit of a free Romania. He played a key role in the setting up of the World Union of Free Romanians, of which he was elected president at its first congress in Geneva (1984). Shortly after this, he started publishing The Free Romanian / Romanul liber, a monthly newspaper in English and Romanian.

After 50 years in exile he returned to his homeland in 1990 to contest the presidency. Although he won a seat in Parliament, and was to serve his country for his last ten years, his failure to win the presidency was a disappointment to many. Even today on Romanian streets, Ion Raţiu is remembered fondly, often referred to as “the best president Romania never had”.

Ion Raţiu died in London on 17 January 2000, surrounded by his family. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried in his home town of Turda. His funeral was attended by over 10,000 people.

Această biografie sumară precum şi tot ceea ce ştiu că acest om a făcut pentru ţara lui şi a mea, m-a determinat să îl includ în categoria, pur personală, a marilor români. Imaginile care îl prezintă ridicat de poliţie în timpul vizitei “de lucru” a lui ceausescu în Regatul Unit  îmi întăresc convingerea că nu greşesc.