Ilie Bolojan, president of the National Liberal Party, confirmed Friday he will seek another term as party leader, hours before the 17:00 Saturday deadline for submitting candidacy motions ahead of Sunday's Extraordinary Congress at Romexpo.

The announcement came as the party prepared for a technical meeting Saturday at 14:00 to finalize logistics for the congress, where 2,500 delegates are expected to vote on leadership and major statutory reforms. Bolojan told reporters he will register his candidacy along with his team before the cutoff.

"Am încredere în membrii partidului nostru. Cred că își doresc un PNL puternic, credibil și respectat, astfel încât atunci când se întâlnesc cu prietenii sau colegii lor să nu le fie rușine că sunt membrii unui partid politic ca PNL," Bolojan said Friday. The party must establish both its leadership and the direction it will follow in the coming period, he added.

Adrian Veștea, first vice president and a member for three decades, withdrew his candidacy Friday evening after the leadership rejected his request to postpone the congress by one week. Veștea had argued a delay would allow broader internal debate and reduce political tension.

"Nu voi gira printr-o candidatură acest simulacru democratic prin care se instalează dictatura în partid," Veștea announced, calling the congress both non-statutory and unlawful. He said he would pursue all statutory and legal means to contest the proceedings. Supporters of Veștea filed an emergency request with the Ilfov Tribunal to suspend the National Permanent Bureau's decisions convening the congress, though no ruling had been issued by Saturday afternoon.

PNL deputy Ionel Bogdan said Friday that Veștea, well-known within the organization, could have persuaded colleagues to support his candidacy had he registered a motion before the deadline. "Domnul Adrian Veștea, care este membru de 30 de ani al Partidului Național Liberal, este și prim-vicepreședinte al Partidului Național Liberal, cred că este suficient de cunoscut în partid astfel încât, dacă își va înregistra moțiunea până mâine la ora 17:00, în termenul stabilit de Consiliul Național, să poată să convingă suficienți colegi astfel încât să intre în această competiție internă. Deci nu vedem o problemă în a avea competitori, mai ales atât de cunoscuți, precum este dânsul," Bogdan said.

The dispute over timing escalated after Veștea requested the congress be moved to June 28, describing a postponement as "a gesture of minimum democratic decency." Veștea had announced a platform focusing on responsibility toward Romania and honest political partnership with the President, expressing confidence Bolojan would not refuse a democratic contest with equal opportunities for both candidates.

PNL deputy Robert Sighiartău said Veștea did not submit a formal request to the party's General Secretariat, expressing his intention only via a Facebook post. Decisions on such matters would be made by the Permanent Bureau to be elected at Sunday's congress, Sighiartău added.

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The National Extraordinary Council voted to convene the congress with 566 representatives in favor, 97 against, and 19 abstaining. The decision to proceed reflects the current leadership's determination to advance both the leadership election and statutory reforms despite dissent from a minority of council members.

Sunday's congress will vote on substantial amendments to the party statute. The changes include dissolving the Executive Bureau, which will be replaced by the National Permanent Bureau as the central leadership structure. The number of first vice presidents will be reduced from four to one, in an effort to simplify decision-making and clarify lines of authority.

The congress will also create a National Commission for Litigations, tasked with adjudicating disputes arising from disciplinary measures against party members, and will clarify procedures for sanctioning members. The statutory changes were approved in the National Council with 551 votes in favor, 128 opposed, and 3 abstentions, according to party records.

The leadership argues the reforms address dysfunction in the current Executive Bureau and improve internal governance. The move to integrate the responsibilities of the BEX into the new BPN is intended to centralize authority and eliminate overlapping functions, according to the text of the proposed amendments.

Bolojan's candidacy is widely seen within the party as an effort to consolidate leadership and restore unity after a period of internal conflict. His public remarks emphasize the need for credibility and respect, both within the party and in the eyes of the public. He has framed his campaign as a call for consistency with the party's principles and for building a team capable of unified action.

The process for registering candidacy motions remains open until 17:00 Saturday, with Bolojan the only major figure to have formally announced his intention to run as of Friday evening. Party rules require that each candidacy be accompanied by a supporting motion outlining the candidate's vision and proposed strategy.

No other high-profile contenders have come forward publicly following Veștea's withdrawal. The statutory reforms, if approved, will mark the most substantial changes to the party's leadership structure in recent years. The reduction in the number of first vice presidents and the creation of a dedicated litigation commission are intended to address longstanding disputes over internal discipline and the handling of member sanctions, party officials said.

For some party members, the controversy over the congress's timing and the exclusion of dissenting voices has raised questions about democratic processes within the organization. Veștea's supporters have accused the leadership of rushing the reforms and limiting debate, while the leadership maintains the changes are necessary to strengthen the party ahead of key electoral contests.

The final list of candidates for the party presidency will be confirmed after the 17:00 deadline Saturday. Delegates will then prepare to vote on both the leadership and the amended statute at Sunday's congress. The party's leadership has not commented on the pending legal challenge filed by Veștea's supporters. The congress is set to proceed as scheduled, with the technical meeting at Romexpo marking the final preparatory step before the decisive vote.