President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday at noon started consultations with the parliamentary political parties and formations for the designation of a nominee for prime minister after Mihai Tudose resigned office, with the PSD-ALDE delegation being the first to sit down with the President at the Cotroceni Palace.
The PSD-ALDE delegation was made up of Social Democrat Chairman Liviu Dragnea, PSD Secretary General Marian Neacsu, Deputy PM Paul Stanescu, ALDE Secretary General Daniel Chitoiu and ALDE Vice-President Gratiela Gavrilescu.
Presidential advisor Laurentiu Stefan and state advisor Dana Barsan also attend the consultations at the side of the head of the state.
The Social Democrats’ nominee for the position of PM is Viorica Dancila, as decided at the Tuesday meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee.
After consultations with PSD-ALDE, President Iohannis met with representatives of the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Save Romania Union (USR), the People’s Movement Party (PMP), the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) and the parliamentary group of national minorities.
Dragnea: We nominated Viorica Dancila; we told the President she is a non-conflictual lady, with good communication skills
Social Democratic Party leader Liviu Dragnea announced on Wednesday, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, that he officially and directly presented President Klaus Iohannis the Social Democrats’ nomination for the Prime Minister’s office – MEP Viorica Dancila, pointing out that he also presented the support that Dancila enjoys. Dragnea pointed out that there are sufficient arguments for the President to accept the nomination.
“I officially and directly introduced to the president our proposal, embodied by Mrs. Viorica Dancila. I also presented him the procedure that led to her nomination,” Dragnea stated after the consultations with the Head of State, which lasted approximately 20 minutes.
He specified that Daniel Chitoi, on behalf of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), informed President Iohannis that on Wednesday, ALDE’s statutory forum unanimously adopted the decision to back Viorica Dancila for the position of Prime Minister.
Moreover, Liviu Dragnea specified that he presented the president a list of PSD-ALDE parliamentarians who support Dancila, so as to correctly inform the president that “there is no problem with the parliamentary majority.”
“I have done so because all sorts of information have circulated in the public sphere in the last days that we have lost the majority, that there are parliamentarians who will not support this nomination,” Dragnea said.
“I presented him with the arguments that have made us nominate her, namely: rich experience as regards the European Parliament and good relations with the members of the European Commission. Moreover, some of Mrs Viorica Dancila’s objectives, which, if given the chance, she will present in front of the president, notably the solid preparation for taking over the Presidency of the Council of the Union next year, also the commitments undertaken by Mrs Dancila in front of us with regard to important macro-economic indicators, to the deficit not being exceeded, the 2 percent [of GDP] committal to Defence. Furthermore, the investments that should increase in 2018, the social measures regarding the salaries and pensions, and more. (…) In addition, the human qualities that Mrs Viorica Dancila has: she is a non-confrontational lady, someone who is always dedicated to dialogue and who has had good relations with absolutely everyone,” Liviu Dragnea affirmed.
The Social-Democrats’ leader also mentioned that he informed the Head of State about the fact that discussions with Viorica Dancila took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, both within the Executive Committee and within the ruling coalition, and informed President Klaus Iohannis about the ruling coalition’s commitment to the governing programme.
PSD’s Dragnea: Hopefully President accepts Dancila’s nomination for PM, everything ready to call Parliament session
Social Democratic Party (PSD) President Liviu Dragnea announced on Wednesday at the Cotroceni Palace that everything is ready for calling an extraordinary session of Parliament if Viorica Dancila – the Social Democrats’ nomination for PM – gets President Klaus Iohannis’ okay.
“The President of Romania has taken note of what we told him. He let us know that he doesn’t want this situation to drag and wants a government installed as soon as possible. He will take a decision – we don’t know if today or tomorrow – after he also talks with other parties and takes a serious look at the proposition or propositions. (…) We hope he accepts our proposition. We are ready to call Parliament in an extraordinary session to start hearing the future ministers, to confirm the governing programme and the overall Cabinet,” Dragnea said after the consultations with the Head of State.
According to the PSD leader, the President might have a discussion with Viorica Dancila. “I think that if he intends to accept her, it is mandatory – the President has always done this – to have a conversation with the person he appoints, because it is natural to ask her the questions he considers fit and for them to have a direct discussion,” Dragnea said.
He added that the Social Democrats are hopeful there are enough arguments for the Head of State to accept Dancila as Prime Minister.
“We too seek stability and, so far, we have no real reason to believe that the President of Romania will reject Mrs. Dancila,” added Dragnea, explaining that he would refrain from “making scenarios” for the event that their nomination fails to get President Iohannis’ nod of approval.
He also spoke about Viorica Dancila’s communication and liaison skills, mentioning that she is fluent in French and English.
Asked for his comment on the fact that he has backtracked on his previous statement that he will never again come to Cotroceni Palace, Dragnea explained: “Things like this happen. When I said that, I didn’t imagine we would again hold consultations on this subject before the end of the mandate. But truth is stranger than fiction and I talked with my colleagues. It would have been incorrect on my part not to personally present our proposal to the President of Romania.”
The PSD President mentioned that right after the meeting of the PSD Executive Committee he and leader of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) Kelemen Hunor had a talk.
“I told him about Mrs. Dancila and I assured him that if they support her, there will be a good and open relationship between the Government and the UDMR group, the way we use to in Parliament. If the President nominates her, we will hold a meeting – as every time – between Mrs. Dancila, our representatives, and the UDMR group, before casting votes in Parliament,” Dragnea said.
PNL’s Orban informs Iohannis that PNL can shoulder responsibility to start negotiations to form majority
National Liberal Party (PNL) President Ludovic Orban stated on Wednesday that the Liberals want snap elections, informing President Klaus Iohannis that the party can shoulder the responsibility of starting negotiations in order to form a parliamentary majority that would support a Government sans the Social Democratic Party (PSD).
“The PNL made the decision not to participate in any governing formula that includes the PSD, to vote against any ruling formula that contains the PSD. The option that I have expressed to the President is for challenging snap elections because we believe that the people’s option today has nothing to do with the option that the people expressed at the elections on 11 December 2016. I have informed the President that the PNL, if asked, can shoulder the responsibility of starting negotiations in order to form a parliamentary majority that will support a government without the PSD,” Orban stated at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace after consultations with the Head of State, which lasted for about one hour.
“We informed the President that PNL, if asked, can shoulder the responsibility of starting negotiations in order to form a majority that would not include the PSD,” the PNL President added.
Orban did not want to reveal what President Iohannis told them, pointing out he is not Liviu Dragnea so he cannot reveal the contents of talks.
“The President will reflect, will decide and will present the conclusions. (…) I’m convinced the President is faced with an extremely difficult decision,” the PNL leader stated.
Asked whether the PNL would be able to form a majority, Ludovic Orban replied: “In case a majority cannot be formed, the first step toward snap elections can be taken.”
USR’s Barna – snap elections, but it would be difficult to get there; first step – new no-PSD PM
Save Romania Union (USR) Chairman Dan Barna on Wednesday stated at the Cotroceni Palace that the “decent solution” for Romania would be that of early elections, but he believes it would be difficult to get there, for which reason he proposed instead “the nomination of a non-PSD (Social Democratic Party) Prime Minister.”
“This would mean a lot for Romania, the appointment of a new non-PSD Prime Minister. We have voiced our support for such a Government, if the President will decide to appoint such a Prime Minister and if he will manage to get the support from Parliament (…) We highlighted the fact that the decent solution that Romania would be that of early elections, but it is very difficult to get there and that’s why the first step will be the nomination of a non-PSD Prime Minister,” Barna said after the consultations with President Klaus Iohannis.
Basescu: I made two nominations for the Prime Minister’s office – Siegfried Muresan and Eugen Tomac
Popular Movement Party (PMP) leader Traian Basescu stated on Wednesday, at the end of the consultations at the Cotroceni Palace, that he nominated MEP Siegfried Muresan and PMP Executive President Eugen Tomac for the Prime Minister’s office.
“I made two nominations for the Prime Minister’s office. The first is Siegfried Muresan, who, unlike Mrs Dancila, has two mandates and is not known in the European Parliament. (…) For the second Government, the President may consider that we are in the year of the Union, so I nominated a politician who is very well outlined from the standpoint of unionism, Eugen Tomac,” Basescu said.
Asked how would a majority look in a Government formed by Eugen Tomac, Basescu said he stakes on all Opposition parties and on the minorities.
“I stake on all Opposition parties, [on] the minorities. I’m not ruling out the possibility that many of those dissatisfied with Daddy could make other voting choices in Parliament, on the second attempt to form the Government. (…) Those who don’t want to see that cracks have appeared within PSD are childish,” the PMP leader added.
He claimed Parliament will not reject two Governments.
UDMR’s Kelemen: We don’t know Viorica Dancila; we have no prejudice, but we await President’s decision
Chairman of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) Kelemen Hunor stated on Wednesday at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace that the party he leads will wait for the President’s decision regarding Viorica Dancila, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) proposal for the Prime Minister office.
“The Social Democratic Party (PSD) – Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) proposed a new Prime Minister. We said we don’t know Mrs Viorica Dancila, we neither have pros or cons because we haven’t seen her, we haven’t talked to her, we don’t know how she thinks, what she wants, we don’t know what she plans to do in this position. With Mr Grindeanu and Mr Tudose it was another thing, we were colleagues, we knew each other, we talked, discussed. We have no prejudice, this is why we are not saying no, but we don’t know her and we cannot say yes. Therefore, we await the President’s decision and, if he accepts and nominates her in order to form a government, then, certainly, we will talk with Mrs Dancila and we will see what she says, what will be the list of ministers, what governing programme she brings,” Kelemen Hunor stated after consultations with the head of state.
Moreover, the UDMR leader said that early elections are not up for discussions, regardless of “those who dream about it.”
“It’s just a dream. I don’t think that early elections can be possible in the current context and under the current Constitution,” Kelemen added.
Pambuccian: Snap elections idea is “absolutely unrealistic”
Varujan Pambuccian, the leader of Lower House lawmakers that represent the country’s ethnic minorities, stated on Wednesday, at the end of the consultations at the Cotroceni Palace, that he does not know whether he can still trust the PSD-ALDE coalition and that the Opposition’s snap elections idea is “absolutely unrealistic.”
“We are waiting for the designated Prime Minister and we will have a discussion which will result in us deciding on how to vote. It’s a surprising event for us too, for everyone I believe,” Pambuccian stated.
Likewise, asked whether the group of MPs representing the country’s ethnic minorities still trusts the PSD-ALDE ruling coalition, he said he does not know what to say.
“I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how [the next Government] will look, how long it will survive, I don’t know what to say,” he added.
Likewise, Pambuccian considers snap elections to be an “absolutely unrealistic” idea.
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