The Senator announced yesterday his plan to launch a new political construct that would attract “honest persons” as well as professionals from among politicians.
By Daniela Baragan
Having lost his Senate office and PSD membership, Mircea Geoana returned to his “roots” yesterday. Thus, he returned among his supporters in Dabuleni, Dolj County, telling them that Romania needs an alternative to current parties, a “new force,” pointing out that there are “competent people” that have to start “making their voices heard.”
“Liberate and save this party. Romania needs an alternative that isn’t coming from the ruling coalition, nor from USL and, unfortunately, PSD doesn’t have it either, and I believe the time has come for us to lift our voices and wipe our tears because far more important than PSD at this moment is the need to engage in real politics, politics for the people and by the people,” Geoana told the PSD members gathered within the Village Assembly Hall in Dabuleni. In this context, the former Speaker of the Senate announced his plan to launch a new political construct that would represent “the veritable opposition” to the current ruling coalition and that would attract “honest persons” as well as professionals from among politicians. Geoana did not offer more details, however he talked about the need for a new political orientation and underlined the fact that society’s worst problem consists of “moral degradation,” realitatea.net informs.
Also, Geoana yesterday said he believed the ruling coalition will also obtain the Senate Speaker position, with Vasile Blaga most likely to get the post on Monday, which means, “there will be no chance to get Traian Basescu suspended anymore”. “Santa Clause has come to the PDL, with the second-highest position in the state (…) So much for the opposition, and its leaders!” the former social-democrat said.
The night before, Mircea Geoana reiterated that he will not join another party because he was the leader of “a large party.” On the other hand, he pointed out that the ruling coalition’s vote on his revocation from the Senate Speaker office proved that he did not have any backstage agreements with it and that he does not see “eye to eye” with President Traian Basescu either like his former party colleagues had suggested.
In another statement, the former Social-Democrat leader reiterated his criticism against Victor Ponta and Ion Iliescu. Geoana stated about the former that “the job of leading such a large party and of being Premier… is a far too large sombrero” for him. In what concerns Iliescu, Mircea Geoana stated that “it is time for him to stexp aside after 20 years of abundant influence within this party.” “He called me a dummy in 2005. I guess I did (swear at him – editor’s note), in my mind. When a 50-year-old is insulted by an 80-year-old, I wonder who should let it go. I think it’s no longer worth commenting Mr. Iliescu’s statements. We’re playing in different movies. Our backgrounds are different. I was educated in the West, he was educated in the East,” Geoana added.
Several hours after he was revoked from his Speaker of the Senate office, Mircea Geoana attacked the decision to the Constitutional Court (CC). In this context, he reiterated that the vote through which the decision to terminate his mandate was approved was a political one, pointing out that the reasons invoked by the PSD group run against the Senate Statute and the Constitution. “The Senate Speaker is elected for a four-year term. He is neutral from a political point of view. The Speaker of the Senate can be revoked only if he seriously and repeatedly violates the Constitution and laws, his actions being open to political or judicial sanctions. This argument is not included in PSD group’s justification which exclusively invokes a political decision,” the Senator said. On the other hand, Liberal MP Mihaita Calimente is convinced Mircea Geoana will remain Speaker of the Senate “with the Constitutional Court’s support, because he knows how it works,” Geoana being set to create a party “backed by the Presidential Palace.”
Geoana, defended in Dabuleni: “they feared him because he is an educated man”
The people of Dabuleni, gathered in the Assembly Hall to offer consolation to Mircea Geoana after his exclusion and recall from office, voiced their outrage at the PSD leaders’ decision and warned Victor Ponta against pending divine retribution. “God will give each his due!”, “Ponta, that guy, Ilie Sarbu, Nastase, they all should stay away from these parts or the people of Dabuleni will cook their goose!”, “We’ll stand by Geoana all the way, no matter what”, his supporters vouched.
If in Dolj we find Geoana’s supporters, some of those who “betrayed” him are to be found here, as well. This includes the PSD Dolj leader who, although he initially claimed he would back Mircea Geoana, voting, even, against his exclusion from PSD, subsequently switched allegiance to the PSD leaders. Thus, the deputy president of PSD Dolj, Ion Prioteasa, stated that the Dolj organization backed Ponta. “PSD Dolj will by no means go against the central leaders and Victor Ponta. Therefore, we do not shrink from stating PSD Dolj is backing Victor Ponta and the Executive Committee and stands by all decisions being made, including this decision (e.n. Geoana’s recall from the helm of the Senate), because the minority abides by the decisions of the majority,” Ion Prioteasa added.
Seven potential replacements for Geoana in the Senate
There’s no shortage of “successors” for the Senate Speaker office that Mircea Geoana held until Wednesday, so that there is already an impressive list of potential replacements for the second most important office in the state hierarchy. If the names mentioned so far, from the ranks of the Democrat-Liberal Party (PDL), include Vasile Blaga, Radu Berceanu, Mihai Stanisoara or Petru Filip, who is currently acting as the interim Speaker, the name of Transport Minister Anca Boagiu was added to the list yesterday. However, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) intends to put up its own candidate. The names of the senator Gyorgy Frunda and deputy prime-minister Marko Bela have been mentioned in relation to the office. Finally, the Social-Liberal Union will nominate one candidate and his name is no secret: Titus Corlatean, the chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Policy Committee. However, as the opposition doesn’t have the majority, its chances of winning the office are purely theoretical. We’ll know for sure what candidates are launched in the race next Monday, when the Senate assembly convenes and when the coalition’s weekly meeting is scheduled, as prime-minister Emil Boc disclosed.
