Independent candidate Calin Georgescu, who took a surprise lead in the first round of Romania's presidential election, denied on Monday accusations that he would be an extremist, but said that he is simply "a Romanian who loves his country".

"I am accused of extremism - this is false, completely false, I am just fully committed - with all my heart, with my life, to the Romanian people," he said in a message streamed live on his YouTube channel.

Gorgescu, who entered the second round of the presidential election in pole position, said that the current political class has disappointed the electorate for 35 years and compared his success to the events of the 1989 Revolution. Regarding Romania's orientation, he commented that "there is no East or West, there is only Romania."

On the living standards of his fellow nationals, he said that "suffering does not come from Brussels alone, but also from our souls."

Calin Georgescu thanked the 2,120,404 people who voted for him and said that the result is seen all over the world.

"From the homeland and from the other Romania, from across the borders, your voice has now been heard all over the world, not just in the country. Everyone has been reminded of the power of our people, as we did in December 1989. We regained our dignity and we fought to restore the cult of honor and dignity. We said it again that we decide what is best for us and not what others want us to be our good," he said.

Georgescu remarks that the politicians "are the only ones who did not understand what happened."

Addressing directly his contenders in the first round of the presidential election, he said: "Ladies and gentlemen politicians, you looked at statistics, at the polls, countless polls, you made and continue to make defamatory statements, you tossed offenses at each other, but what's worst is that you offended the Romanian people for 35 years and you continued to do so today, when you said that you did not understand how this happened. You do not understand, because the Romanian people has reborn. The desire for dignity that had been lost in all these years has revived in them."

The presidential candidate said that he is accused of extremism, "of having ties with countries near or far", which he dismissed as completely false.

"I am dedicated with all my heart, with all my life, to the Romanian people. Folks, there is no East or West, there is only Romania and the peace of our people. Our economic and social stability comes from an absolutely necessary neutrality. That is why today we need social peace. We do not have to choose whose side we are on. We must be, above all, on our own side and look after our own needs. We remain devoted to European values, but above all we need to be devoted to ourselves and our families, our children, our ancestors," he stressed.

Calin Georgescu also had a message for his opponent in the presidential runoff, Elena Lasconi.

"You have nothing to be happy about. The people are not happy with what the politicians have done in these years. Including you, you were and are still part of this political project that has driven us into the current disastrous state," he argued.

Calin Georgescu (independent) topped the electorate's choices in the first round of the presidential elections held on Sunday, reaping 2,120,404 votes (22.94%), according to data released by the Permanent Electoral Authority after centralizing all the minutes. AGERPRES (RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - editor: Simona Klodnischi)