On Saturday, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) held a large rally in Galati, attended by around 30,000 party members and sympathisers. Before the electoral rally started, Liviu Dragnea and several ministers mingled with the crowds.
Premier Viorica Dancila, MEP Dan Nica, Eugen Teodorovici, Rovana Plumb, Carmen Avram, Lia Olguta Vasilescu, Codrin Stefanescu, and Minister Radu Oprea were present at the rally.
At the rally in Galati, Liviu Dragnea launched a new attack against President Klaus Iohannis, saying that “he stole Europe Day too.” Iohannis took advantage of the fact that “he was alone” and attacked Romania, the Government, democracy, and the judiciary, Dragnea claimed.
“Today we hold the PSD summit in Galati, because we are European in Galati, Braila, Tulcea and Iasi too, in Wallachia and Oltenia too, in Banat, Transylvania, and all over the country, because we are Romanians, Europeans, throughout the country. We are Europeans at home, not just in the six houses that Iohannis stole in Sibiu,” the Social Democratic leader stated at the rally in Galati.
Liviu Dragnea said that President Klaus Iohannis “insisted on representing Romania all by himself.”
“Iohannis used Sibiu Summit for his interests”
Dragnea stated that President Klaus Iohannis used the Sibiu Summit for his electoral campaign and his petty interests, adding that he “called his masters” and “begged another sanction against Romania.”
“You’ve seen the European leaders in Sibiu, Iohannis was keen to represent Romania just by himself, he didn’t invite anyone. Just as he stole the houses, he also stole Europe Day. He used this opportunity just for him, in order to win something. Did he used this summit for the Romanians? He used this summit, made with a lot of money, for his electoral campaign, for his petty political interests and called his masters. We’ve all seen his on TV how he strolled alone and nobody paid attention to him. This is the fate of servants, they are used, they are not taken into account. I am sure that there, in Sibiu, Iohannis also begged because that is the only thing he can do. No one heard him speak for the Romanians, fighting for Romania, fighting for what we should receive, for the due respect. He took advantage that he was alone and worked against Romania, attacking his country’s government, attacking democracy, justice, everything that is good in this country,” Dragnea said in a speech he delivered on the stage of the rally.
Likewise, the Social Democratic leader referred to some statements that the Dutch Premier and the French President made in Sibiu.
“You heard the Dutch Premier how he offended us again. What happened in the Netherlands, where billions of euro was laundered in the banking system? And the banks did what? They negotiated with the prosecutors. This is the rule of law. Or does the anger stem from the fact that we didn’t want to sell them the Port of Constanta? The French President said he is worried. I too am worried that thousands of Romanians are beaten up on the streets of Paris. Why do you think the Romanian President did not teach them their place, neither the Dutch Premier nor the French President? Because he is a flunkey, because he wants another term in office and to get away for [sic] the stolen houses. Likewise, why do you believe these people are upset? Let’s think about it. In two years, we’ve registered record-level yields in Europe. Does this suit them? It doesn’t,” Dragnea said.
PSD leader on European leaders: They’re upset our communes will be more beautiful
Liviu Dragnea said that the European leaders are upset because, after salaries were hiked in Romania, people are starting “to no longer accept abysmally low salaries” abroad and come home. “They’re upset that our communes will be more beautiful than those in Western Europe,” Dragnea said.
Referring to some statements that the Dutch Premier and the French President made in Sibiu, Dragnea asked those present at the rally why they believe the European leaders are upset.
“The physicians’ salaries have been hiked. They take care of our health and the health of this country. Too many Romanian physicians have taken care of the health of foreigners, because this state did not take care to pay them decent salaries. Why else are they upset? Because the hiked salaries in Romania prompt the Romanians working abroad to no longer accept abysmally low salaries and they are starting to come home. They are upset because the hard-working and skilled labour force is starting to leave their countries. Maybe they are upset because we are renovating and building schools, modernising education, and Romanians have the chance to be better-educated and they will compete with them. They are upset that our communes will be more beautiful that those in Western Europe,” Dragnea said.
At the end of the speech of the PSD Chairman, the attendees of the rally asked him to run for the presidential elections and chanted “Dragnea President.”
Dancila: In Sibiu we saw photos. Here, we are writing the Galati declaration
Premier Viorica Dancila said in Galati that she saw photos at the Sibiu Summit, asking herself: “Where do we fit in the Sibiu Declaration, how are the desires and interests of Romanians represented?”. Dancila announced the “Galati declaration.”
“I have asked the Romanian President to demand, at the Sibiu Summit, the lifting of the CVM, the Schengen accession, in order for us Romanians to sit at the decision-making table. I haven’t seen this. I have only seen photos. Where do we fit in the Sibiu declaration, how are the desires and interests of Romanians represented?” Premier Viorica Dancila stated at the rally in Galati.
She announced “the Galati declaration” in which “we will firmly state that we no longer accept pensions and salaries being cut ever again, that we no longer accept hospitals being closed down, that we no longer accept hatred and divisiveness, that we want a united Romania, that we want us – the citizens – to forge our own destiny: We, the Government, have followed every point of the governance programme, because every point matches what you want. We come up with projects, accomplishments; others come up with insults, hatred and shouting. This shows that when you lack projects you come and shout, offend, but Romanians don’t want this. Romanians are peaceful people, they love their country.”
In the same speech, Dancila said she is happy to see placards “on which the PNL is crossed out.”
Rovana Plumb: PSD will never eliminate the minimum salary
Rovana Plumb, the PSD’s lead candidate in the EP elections, stated on Saturday, in Galati, that the PSD will never eliminate the minimum salary as the PNL and USR plan to do.
“This is the PSD’s strength, you are the PSD’s strength. Thanks to you and to millions of Romanians, the PSD had the strength and know-how to bring Romania into NATO. Thanks to you, the PSD had the strength and intelligence to take Romania into the EU. Thanks to you, Romania has entered an irreversible European road. The PSD. We are Romania. The PSD best represents Romania’s interests, anywhere, in Europe and in the world. The PSD has the best governance programme in the last 30 years, and that’s due to a leader with a vision, a man who loves his country – PSD President Liviu Dragnea,” Rovana Plumb stated at the PSD rally in Galati.
She said that the PSD came before Romanians with facts, not with violence and attacks like the PNL and USR.
“We came before you with facts, not like the PNL and USR with attacks, with violence, with denigrating Romania, with lies. After two years of governance, with President Liviu Dragnea, we put Romania first in Europe in terms of economic growth. With Liviu Dragnea, Romania has once again become the breadbasket of Europe. Romania has reached the European average in terms of European grants absorption. The PSD has achieved the highest growth and salary hike in Romania’s recent history, and we will not stop here because we want all Romanians to have European salaries, and that’s what Liviu Dragnea and the PSD are doing through the governance programme. We ensure that salaries fall in line with the European ones. PSD will never eliminate the minimum salary as the PNL and USR want to do. The PNL and USR, the only MEPs who voted against their own country. Because of them, Romania is not treated as an equal at the level of the EU,” Plumb concluded.
Dan Nica: I was sad many times within the EP. I’m ashamed with a President like Klaus Iohannis
MEP Dan Nica stated that he is ashamed with a President like Klaus Iohannis because of the fact that he did not raise the Schengen Area accession issue at the Sibiu Summit, an issue due to which 5 million Romanians suffer.
“For far too many times I was sad within the EP. I felt humiliated, just like you felt, when Cristian Preda and Monica Macovei were ill-talking Romania. They were saying only lies. They were the ones who opposed when it came to the double standards. They did not oppose you buying poor-quality food and pharmaceutical products, and they especially wanted there to be double standards in the judiciary. I was sad when I saw the Sibiu Summit and I saw the lack of respect toward a problem that 5 million Romanians face every day. The Schengen Area. It’s not normal for all citizens to be able to travel freely, without border controls, and Romanians to be on the other side. I’m ashamed with a President like Klaus Iohannis, who did not bring attention to the issue,” Dan Nica stated at the PSD rally in Galati.
“Our message for you is that we can have a better life with the PSD. 30,000 people from Galati have come to say: Romania has the right to a future, to be a respected country, an admired country, as it deserves, because you Romanians are the ones who deserve the respect of all Europeans,” Nica added.
