MEP Sorin Moisa announced on Saturday having decided to resign from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and that he will also quit the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) group to join the EPP group as an independent.
In a Facebook post, Moisa points the finger at party Chairman Liviu Dragnea under whose lead “PSD has unburied, revived and adjusted to the current context of Romania a bunch of the long-groomed reflexes of national-communism.”
He also takes issue with how PSD presents the relation with Brussels and the multinationals.
“What PSD offers now is not patriotism, but frustrated nationalism in the Polish or Hungarian vein, that poses a futile opposition to Brussels, staking out a social conservative stance. This is a type of rhetoric and political practice that draws the country close not only to the illiberal Vishegrad group, but also to Putin’s Russia,” Moisa wrote, adding that he was also appalled by the out-of-touch lack of empathy shown at the recent anniversary of Dragnea’s birthday the same day of the two-year commemoration of the Colectiv fire tragedy.
Among the reasons that led him to the decision to quit PSD Sorin Moisa also lists the credibility-deprived fight against corruption and the TelDrum case where Dragnea stands accused of corruption deeds.
“PSD has reached such a level of domestic and international distrust that no one believes them any more as regards the reform of justice, not even when they are possibly right. Therefore they should better send the reform projects to the Venice Commission first and seek the opinion of this body which cannot be suspicioned of bias,” Moisa adds.
In the TelDrum case he vents off saying that “even if in the end the trial would not prove Dragnea’s guilt, his position at the head of the party and of the Parliament of Romania has become unsustainable wherever in the civilized world. (…) What seems to happen now is Mr. Dragnea pushing Romania, in order to save his own neck, into an authoritarian project to justify ignoring the reaction of the EU and the US to a blitz anti-justice operation.”
Moisa added that his resignation from PSD will be immediately followed by his resignation from the S&D group and his handing over all the files he was handling in this capacity.
“In recent years, many political parties of the S&D group have shifted towards a radical left I could only be connected to as a purely intellectual speculation. My solid connection with the S&D group was the PSD delegation, a pragmatic delegation solidly rooted in the moderate, centrist part of the S&D. Once this tie dissolved, I will join as an independent the EPP group that has occupied the center of the political spectrum the S&D has freed in such an uninspired move,” he said.
Sorin Moisa made it clear that he will not join any political party, organization, foundation or platform in Romania, “except for the highly unlikely case where he could contribute to a truly transformative momentum in Romanian politics.”
Olguta Vasilescu to Sorin Moisa: We’ve lost too much time today with a small and insignificant intelligence officer like you… Hurry up, ‘cause Ciolos needs a servant there!
Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu replied on Saturday to Sorin Moisa, who resigned from PSD and asked Liviu Dragnea to leave the party’s leadership, and she labeled the MEP as a “small intelligence officer”, asking him to “hurry up”.
“Mister Moise (sic!), since you received a call-up, keep your way relaxed! Dolj County brought as many votes as for a PSD MEP. I hope not for you! If I don’t know you, the voters whom you pretend you respect, know you even less! We’ve lost too much time today with a small and insignificant intelligence officer like you… Hurry up, ‘cause Ciolos needs a servant there!” was the message sent by Olguta Vasilescu to Moisa in a Facebook comment.
In another comment, the Labour Miniser also said that the first time when she heard about Moisa was when “the system” indicated him as an option for the Prime-Minister.
“The first time when I heard about him was when the system indicated him as an option for the Prim-Minister, and I answered to a TV channel that it isn’t possible, since he is not even a party member. This was because, I repeat, I never heard about him. Now I understand that he wrote that he was advised to refuse the PM position. He probably could afford the luxury to refuse the proposal if it was made by Coldea or Ciolos, but nobody from PSD made him such an offer. Why? Because he doesn’t exists for PSD! It’s simple! He exists only for Victor Ponta, the only one who saw his “merits”, as stated by Moisa or Moise himself, whatever his name is. But I don’t understand why he is going to PPE instead of joining Ponta’s little party? Don’t you have a political group of Securitate in the European Parliament?” Vasilescu also wrote.
MEP Catalin Ivan: A healthy, democratic party wouldn’t give a man like Sorin Moisa even for one hundred men like Liviu Dragnea
PSD MEP Catalin Ivan says that Sorin Moisa’s resignation from PSD is a huge loss for the Romanian left wing, and “a healthy, democratic party wouldn’t give a man like Sorin Moisa even for one hundred men like Liviu Dragnea”.
Catalin Ivan stated for News.ro that Sorin Moisa’s resignation from PSD is a huge loss for the Romanian and European left wing, and no responsible party wouldn’t afford to lose such a person.
“A healthy, democratic party which is loyal to the left values and to the European values, wouldn’t give a man like Sorin Moisa even for one hundred men like Liviu Dragnea. Moisa is much respected in Brussels, the loss is huge for PSD. He was involved in difficult European cases, he was an influential and visionary man. He was part in concrete discussions in order for the Romanian people in Great Britain not to suffer after Brexit, but he also had other projects. He couldn’t find a way to communicate with Dragnea, because Dragnea doesn’t understand a lot of things, anyway” Catalin Ivan stated.
Ioan Mircea Pascu: Sorin Moisa’s resignation was inevitable. The closeness to Ciolos was higher than the one he showed for the party on whose lists he became a MEP
PSD MEP Ioan Mircea Pascu says that Sorin Moisa’s resignation from the party was inevitable at a certain extent, because his closeness to Ciolos was higher than the one he showed for the party on whose lists he became a MEP. He tells Moisa that he benefited from the full support of the Group of Socialists and Democrats all the time in which he militated within this group, and says that his explanations would have been much more credible if he announced that he becomes an independent, instead of going to the PPE’s rival group.
Ioan Mircea Pascu wrote on Facebook on Saturday that he found out from the press about his colleague’s resignation from the PSD delegation at the European Parliament, and that his decision must be respected, but certain issues need “a more serious explanation” than the one provided by Sorin Moisa.
“Thus, he claims that PSD is guilty for the lack of highways – which comes from far behind; if PSD has to face it now, this is also because the previous governments, including the one led by Mr. Moisa’s former boss, Mr. Ciolos, did nothing to fix this! But PSD is the only one that is guilty in Mr. Moisa’s view!?
Mr. Misa also says that in Romania’s case, there is also the passivity of the relatively poor performance in using the EU funds, but he doesn’t say a word about the fact that the absorption of the EU funds during the government led by his ex-boss, Mr. Ciolos, was “0” for one year!?” said the PSD MEP.
Ioan Mircea Pascu tells Sorin Moisa that all the time when he militated in the Group of Socialists and Democrats, he benefited from the full support of the group and that his explanations would have been much more credible if he announced that he becomes an independent, instead of going to the rival group of the European Popular Party (PPE).
Pascu also says that, in the end, Sorin Moisa’s gesture was inevitable, since his closeness to Ciolos was always higher than the one he showed for the party on whose he became a MEP. In the end of his message, Pascu “reminds” to his former colleague that “PSD is the party that led Romania into NATO and EU, not other party”.
