Preview ahead of presidential election on Sunday

(20 Nov 2009) SHOTLIST AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING Recent (filmed between 16 and 19 November, exact dates unknown) 1. Close up of Romanian flag 2. Mid of electronic board in street with sign reading (Romanian): "Crisis - Romania in crisis!" 3. Campaign posters for National Liberal Party (left of frame) candidate, Crin Antonescu and opposition leader Mircea Geoana of the Social Democratic Party (right) 4. Pull out from poster of Romanian President Traian Basescu to cars driving on motor way 5. Mid of horse and cart carrying wood passing board with campaign posters of candidates 6. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Bulgaru Smaranda, 64-year-old from a village 80 kilometres (49 miles) north of Bucharest: ++Part overlaid by shot 7++ "What we need is a good life. We have no money and a small pension. Look, I took only a piece of bread to eat on the road, and even the pension we received is only on paper." 7. Zoom in to Smaranda's piece of bread on top of fire wood 8. Wide of campaign banners in street 9. Mid of bus with Antonescu's campaign posters driving past 10. Mid of election poster for independent candidate and Bucharest mayor, Sorin Oprescu, above market stalls 11. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Vox pop, Elena (last name not given) market seller: "Romanians' hopes never die, we hope to have a better life." 12. Young Liberal Democrats marching in street 13. Various of Geoana's supporters distributing campaign material in market 14. Campaign posters in street 15. Tram driving past campaign posters 16. Various of campaign posters 17. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Vox pop, Name not given, Bucharest resident: "The winner will be the current president, he wants to change things." 18. Campaign posters on display board 19. Zoom out from campaign poster to passenger train STORYLINE Romanians will vote in a presidential election on Sunday, with incumbent Traian Basescu running for a second five-year term. Basescu has the edge in the polls over Social Democratic Party candidate Mircea Geoana and the National Liberal Party's Crin Antonescu. The first task of the winner in the November 22 election will be putting together a new government, a tall task because of turmoil over demands for reforms made by the International Monetary Fund. The former government led by Emil Boc and supported by Basescu fell on October 13 in a no-confidence vote. Parliament and Basescu have been embroiled in feuds for years. Lawmakers have also rejected a government led by finance adviser Lucian Croitoru, nominated by Basescu. Basescu nominated yet another prime minister - Bucharest district mayor Liviu Negoita, but it is unlikely Negoita has enough political support to be confirmed. A relatively poor Balkan state of 22 (m) million people, Romania went into an economic downspin in 2008 because its economic policies were not robust enough to counter the impact of the global economic crisis. The International Monetary Fund said it would delay access to a 2.2 (b) billion US dollars bailout loan while the country struggles to set up a new government. The two-year IMF loan is part of a broader 26.4 (b) billion US dollars package to which the European Union, the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are contributing, among others. The money is made available in quarterly instalments subject to the IMF's review of Romania's economy. This is the first year that presidential elections will take place separately from parliamentary elections, following an extension of the presidential term from four to five years. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...