Nato Deputy Secretary General Mircea Joane, who is on a media offensive amid a likely presidential run, has for the first time commented on speculation about his health, saying he is now fine.

Mircea Joane (64 years old) was asked by Marius Tuka in an interview for Gândul about his health, saying that he was “scared”, without going into details.

• “I’m fine. I was scared and thank God, actually, both God and the fact that I have a good gene made me stay out of the question. I had a fear that passed, it’s behind us. We look forward “, – answered Mircea Joane.

(From minute 30:18)

Joana talks about a “drop in energy” after the 2009 election

Mircea Joane was also recently featured on artist Damian Dragic’s podcast, where he talked about the “energy slump” he had after losing the 2009 presidential election.

• “I went for an examination, after 2009 I was a cabbage… And they put me on some devices, measured some kind of energy intensity.
• Doctors and nurses, junior doctors, and a teacher started calling each other. They looked at me like a… guinea pig…
• I was so low on energy that they were like, “Sir, can you leave? can you hear well (…)
• And I stayed like that for a few days, I actually got myself together, I got scared, and then I went to the control room again, and then it was fine.
• They had never seen a person in their life who would be so exhausted, emotionally and energetically exhausted in a few days… (…)
• My case was extreme. But I mean, we all have reservoirs of energy and resources to overcome ourselves. You have to be patient with yourself and not beat yourself up every time (…)
• Life does not always bring you only success and joy. Troubles will come, diseases will come. There is also a problem that can happen at work, at work, in retirement, it happens… The most important thing is to continue as long as God keeps you on this earth,” said Mircea Joane in a conversation with Damian Dragic.

Read also:

• Mihaela Joana: Mircea was vigorously attacked during the last presidential debate

Mircea Joane’s name has been floated as a presidential candidate in 2024.

• “Thank you for the question, but I will answer in the same way as I have answered before, and I will say it most decisively, directly and honestly. As long as I hold this very important position in NATO, I will give it 100% of my attention, energy and talent.
• I think it is right to focus on the important work that you are doing, on the confidence that the Secretary-General has placed in me, and on the confidence that the allied countries have placed in me. This will happen until the last day of my mandate,” Joanne told Euronews in September.

• “Is Mr. Mircea Joane a PSD member? I can only speak about members of the SDP. I have not seen a statement in which Mr. Mircea Joane suggests this.
• He was the head of my party for five years. I supported him in 2009, I campaigned for him in Timișoara. I think he will be a strong candidate if he shows his desire and needs PSD’s support,” PSD First Vice President Sorin Grindeanu said when asked about the possibility of Joane being PSD’s candidate in the 2024 elections.

It will be recalled that he was a candidate in 2009 from the PSD, but he narrowly lost to Traian Besescu.

Joana’s mandate in NATO ends in October 2023.