“The national leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) , Liviu Dragnea must find another way to communicate with the Government, because the latter ” is not under guardianship”, but it must have authority”, declared on Monday former SocDem Prime Minister Adrian Nastase at private TV broadcaster Antena3.
“But until those in PSD understand this once again, they will not be able to advance in terms of the population’s confidence, nor in terms of fully regaining the public confidence, because they have proved in the elections that they have a very good basis. But they will not succeed with the governing either. By creating various centers, you cannot … The Government must have in the end its own communication, a certain independence. And one more thing: as a party leader you cannot say: ‘I ask the Government’ or ‘I’ll send’, ‘I will request the Government to …’. It is not possible, the Government is not under guardianship. They must have authority and they don’t have it under these circumstances. I therefore believe that Liviu Dragnea must find another mode of communication. Not public, not to escape the criticism of newspapers, which would attack him anyway, or the criticism of political leaders, who would attack him anyway. It does not seem normal to me to go out publicly that way to advise your head of the government because you practically cut the branch under his feet and not give him the necessary authority. Or, he is going to need these things,” Nastase asserted.
According to him, “politics is a team sport,” a thing which is true for Victor Ponta, too, who he believes “should speak less on television and act more with a team spirit.” In the opinion of former premier, the “hard part” will come in the second half of the year.
“The problems will begin when the issues of financing the projects will start to create a certain pressure on the budget deficit, and the IMF has been these days in Bucharest and is waiting to the corner a larger shortfall that would require a new loan agreement, a loan to cover that respective amount and conditionalities on the so-called economic reforms,” he argued.
Adrian Nastase says that he has some advice for Liviu Dragnea.
“I would very much care for the party and the PSD’s and this coalition’s government to achieve the performance they have set as target. So, I think he (Dragnea, e.n.) should concentrate on the party’s activity and especially on the Parliament’s activity, because he does not realise yet the extraordinary power the Parliament may have as complementary to the Government’s work. He needn’t worry so much with the Government’s activity, he should take care more about the Parliament’s activity, which can change the institutional foundation and to the limit, as I think it should have been done, to ensure a revision of the Constitution which, unfortunately, the USL leaders did not achieve in 2014. And this is very bad,” Nastase claimed.
At the same TV broadcaster, Adrian Nastase declared that he did not believe Liviu Dragnea or Victor Ponta could be the PSD candidates to the presidential elections that will take place in two years time, but rather that it could be a woman.
“It’s not clear, a candidate with a profile somewhat neutral might show up. It won’t be Dragnea, nor Ponta, I think the party has not yet begun to think about this candidate. It could be a woman,” he revealed.
The former prime minister (2000-2004) also believes that the current opposition would not go with Iohannis at the presidential elections, because he “has problems already.”
“I think there is a certain tradition in the right wing to look for candidates closer to election. It is very possible for him not to run (e.n. – Klaus Iohannis), he has problems already. He came based on a message of honesty. The stories with his houses were worse than in my case. I, at least had so-called four houses in which I moved successively. (…) But his story with private lessons, the houses,the loss of house and so on .. . They will erode in depth, as time goes by, on the one hand. On the other hand, he now expects the Government to erode. (…) I am not convinced that the National Liberal Party (PNL) or the right wing in general, will go with Iohannis as candidate, ” the former PSD leader added.
Asked whether “Ciolos will continue to be”, Nastase said: “Romania has had a certain experience with Phanariots. (…) I hope we do not have to bring leaders in from Brussels. I do not think Ciolos will succeed to persuade.”
“I believe PSD needs a comeback, Ponta would be appropriate to coordinate party’s departments”
The Social Democratic Party needs a comeback, it needs to get out of a certain vague, of inactivity status, said former social-democrat Premier Adrian Nastase (2000-2004), adding that Victor Ponta would be appropriate to coordinate the party’s departments.
“I find it very hard to understand and – naturally, I’m biased, I’m watching what’s going on and in connection with the PSD, the ruling – I’m confused. (…) Obviously, winter is gone, the political spring commences – hopefully not on another pattern, from other continents -, I believe that from this point of view, the PSD needs to start doing politics,” Nastase told the private tv broadcaster Antena3 on Monday night.
Adrian Nastase added that Victor Ponta “has got a lot of energy” right now and that the latter would be very appropriate to run the party’s departments.
“The party’s departments, right now, they do not exist, they do not operate. He should coordinate some existing departments. (…) Because, if currently the PSD doesn’t act, it has no people … There, at the Justice Ministry, on the one hand, we never found a PSD member to replace a minister, on the PSD position – he is a very good man, undoubtedly, he’s admirable – but they couldn’t place a secretary of state. It is as if a PSD-ALDE government only exists for the economic and social areas, while the justice area has been externalised,” he added.
The former premier added that the idea of a blank resignation by Victor Ponta is “childish.”
Nastase also said that the entire complex on the policy in justice should be erected at the party’s legal department. He opined that the party right now looks like it “gives money to all the neighbourhood.”
“It’s OK, people are happy, but the long-term sustainability depends on many factors, that currently are getting into a certain pressure. And there is a social pressure, it is determined by the fact that practically the ratio between the poorest 20 percent families and the richest 20 percent of the households has grown from 7 to 8.2 times. In the West, this ratio is 5. Some measures are needed, that’s for sure, the current taxation system doesn’t work, that’s also clear. There is a proposal in the ruling programme, but it has to be continued: the idea of a differentiated tax on the global income, with deductions to allow the development of some projects in education, sanitation, in investments,” he added.
