Citu, Ciuca meet UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor to discuss governing agenda
National chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Florin Citu said on Friday, after a meeting he had together with Prime Minitser-designate Nicoale Ciuca at the PNL headquarters with Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) national leader Kelemen Hunor that discussions on a governing agenda started, and on Monday a list of the government members will be completed, and a vote on it may follow on Thursday.
Citu said that the prime minister-designate Nicolae Ciuca is responsible for negotiating to mount a parliamentary majority in order for the government to clear Parliament, mentioning that he does not have a pact with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and that he will discuss parliamentary support with the Save Romanian Union (USR).
“We have started talks on a government agenda; we have not discussed or negotiated new ministries. Today it was just a discussion about the government agenda. (…) I think the schedule goes like this: tomorrow the government agenda, after that we talk about portfolios, and that will be simple because we have six portfolios there, all important; after that, on Monday evening or Tuesday, we come up before Parliament: realistically speaking, I think that on Wednesday there will be committee hearings and a vote on Thursday. Let everyone be realistic and understand that,” said Citu.
Asked if PNL is willing to give up important ministries, Citu said: “We have six ministries there, we will see. Let’s get there; first we do the government agenda tomorrow; rest assured that there will be a government agenda that meets the needs and emergencies facing Romania today: healthcare, and energy. We have a discussion on portfolios and names in the coming days, and you will see them, it is not that much until Monday.”
The PNL leader said, when asked if he will negotiate with PSD, that “negotiations and the majority is the responsibility of the prime minister, who will negotiate with lawmakers to mount a majority for the vote.”
“For support in Parliament, I think we will also discuss with USR,” added Citu.
He said that PNL does not make any pact with PSD.
“No pact is made [with PSD]. We will go before the Romanian Parliament. There is no pact with PSD, we will go to Parliament and USR has a chance to vote on this government. To be very clear: we are here today because USR voted a PSD motion,” added Citu.
PSD’s Simonis: So far, the prime minister-designate has not asked PSD for any support
Social Democratic Party (PSD) floor leader in the Chamber of Deputies Alfred Simonis said on Friday that Prime Minister-designate Nicolae Ciuca has so far not requested a discussion or any support from PSD, adding that any decision to support a government must be taken by the party’s statutory forums, and the critical situation in which Romania finds itself “leaves a smaller room for maneuvering,” because “in wartimes, war cabinets are made.”
“Any decision to support a government must be taken by the party’s statutory forums and that discussion will be by the statutory forums; it may be tomorrow, it may be on Monday, it may be on Tuesday, depending on the schedule to be unveiled by the prime minister-designate. In the end, if the prime minister-designate finds a majority with USR [Save Romania Union] – which a few days ago argued that a minority government led by Dacian Ciolos would be a solution – he may conclude that a minority government with Mr Ciuca as prime minister may be a solution as well. If Mr Ciolos could be a minority prime minister, why shouldn’t there be someone else? There might not be a need for a discussion with us from PSD,” said Simonis at the PSD headquarters.
Asked about possible signals from PSD local leaders regarding support for a minority government, Simonis said: “There have been no signals, because there has been no discussion with Nicolae Ciuca, there are no signals in that regard and we cannot decide without first an invitation, without having anything to decide.”
According to the leader of the PSD MPs, consultations could be held between the National Liberal Party (PNL) and USR, but he does not have any information.
He pointed out that, given the critical situation in the country, the political class needs a truce.
Asked if PSD’s support for the government will depend on the agenda to be unveiled or if there are additional conditions, Simonis replied: “Let’s wait and see, let’s get to our support being requested first: so far we have not been asked for any support.”
Photo: www.gov.ro
