Antonescu: Moisescu’s resignation, “insignificant”

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The PNL President claims that he is not troubled by the PNL Vice President’s resignation. “It’s very clear for anyone that a group of around three people (…) is trying to kick up a row ahead of the congress meeting,” Antonescu said.

PNL President Crin Antonescu stated yesterday that the resignation of PNL Vice President Vlad Moisescu (who is known as close to the Andrei Chiliman – Calin Popescu Tariceanu group – editor’s note) is “insignificant,” pointing out that this gesture has no significance coming two weeks ahead of the PNL congress meeting (February 23-24 – editor’s note) where the party’s entire leadership will lay down its mandate. “It’s just a gesture to cause a row where possible (…). It’s very clear for anyone that a group of around three people (referring to Chiliman, Tariceanu and Moisescu – editor’s note) that have ended up sending even their mayoralty director as PNL’s representative in debates (…) is trying to kick up a row ahead of the congress meeting. These are people that permanently attack, people that are not even answered in kind but that play the victim,” Antonescu stated, being quoted by Mediafax. Moisescu filed his resignation to the party’s Permanent Central Bureau (BPC). The PNL Vice President had announced his intention to do so since the end of last week, during a TV show. “The resignation represents my disagreement with the way in which Mr. Crin Antonescu sees fit to utilize his prerogatives as PNL President in order to settle personal scores within the party. The latest examples in this sense are the decapitation of the leadership of PNL District 1 branch’s youth and student organizations and, more seriously, the suspension of the party’s Court of Honor and Arbitration, a court that represents the Liberal party’s internal “judiciary,”” the text of the document reads. In view of the upcoming congress meeting, he called on his party colleagues to show responsibility and rationality in relation to PNL’s future and to the offer that the party presents to the Romanian society. On the other hand, Antonescu announced that the commission that will write the changes brought to the party’s statute has been set up, the body being led by PNL Vice President Norica Nicolai, and the draft will at first be brought for approval before the party’s Permanent Delegation a week before the PNL congress meeting. The commission consists of seven persons, including Internal Affairs Minister Radu Stroe and former ministers Tudor Chiuariu and Victor Paul Dobre.

If found guilty Fenechiu will have to resign from the government

”The PNL President claims that Transportation Minister Relu Fenechiu will have to resign from the Ponta Government if found guilty, even by a lower court, in the case in which he is charged with being an accessory to malfeasance in office. Asked whether the USL is taking into account the resignation of ministers involved in criminal cases, considering that President Traian Basescu said that the ones hinted at in the CVM report should give up their positions within the government, Antonescu answered: “We are not taking this into account. Our point of view, as well as the Premier’s point of view, is very clear, and I’ll tell Mr. Basescu what I have been telling him for years: if someone with legal problems, involved in legal cases, surveillance, investigations, should resign, I don’t understand why he has delayed his own resignation for several years (hinting to the “Fleet” and “Mihaileanu House” legal cases – editor’s note),” Antonescu stated. On the other hand, he stated that Romanian MEPs can ask for explanations in what concerns the European Commission’s CVM report “where they have questions about sources, certain interpretations, concerning certain omissions,” considering the fact that they are elected by citizens, adding that he is “sceptical” about a change or changes being brought to the report.

Tariceanu getting ready to run for PNL leadership?

According to rtv.net, former Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu had a secret meeting with several Liberal MPs at the end of last week, against the backdrop of an open conflict between the Antonescu and Tariceanu camps two weeks ahead of the party’s congress meeting in which the new party leadership will be elected. Asked about this issue, Antonescu stated live on Romania TV that he did not know about Tariceanu’s meeting with the party’s MPs, however he would not be surprised by it: “If it took place it’s an absolutely natural fact that is not liable to anger anyone within PNL. It’s in our party’s tradition to have formal or informal meetings. (…) Think about it, for example, that Mr. Tariceanu – I’m starting off from your hypothesis – would like to run during this Congress. Isn’t it normal for him to look for backers, isn’t it normal to meet people, to present them a direction, a programme, a platform, a candidacy? We don’t know if it’s this, maybe it’s not this, but it’s an absolutely legitimate, normal hypothesis. It’s not as if he was supposed to summon me too? Logically.”