Romania's interim president Crin Antonescu showed another side when giving a speech in English at the meeting with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who are in Bucharest to review the loan agreement with the country.

Antonescu, the leader of the National Liberal Party, known for his passionate, confident speeches in Romania's Parliament, didn't seem to master English well enough to speak freely at the meeting with the high level officials who came to offer him an overview of their assessment so far. Antonescu, who is the likely presidential candidate from the Social Liberal Union for the next presidential elections in Romania made grammar mistakes, while his entire speech was halting and nervous.

Antonescu, who studied History and Philosophy, doesn't usually read prepared speeches in Romanian and seems a confident orator in his mother tongue without a written support, but the same didn't apply for his English. During official visits, the president can choose to use a translation service.

Crin Antonescu, a member of the country's Parliament and head of the Senate, is part of the Commission for External Policies. He became interim president earlier this year, after Traian Basescu was suspended.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: presidency.ro)