Negrescu on leaving the Government: No one is threatening anything; dialogue is needed

„We will discuss our presence in the government; we will analyze what our ministers have achieved. There are even certain aspects that have been correctly implemented by my colleagues, the ministers, in areas such as health, labor, and transport. However, it is a reality that within the PSD, there are many discussions about our presence in the government and the way we manage to translate the Social Democratic Party’s objectives into governmental action.

There are certain decisions that should have been subject to broader consultation – you know very well the decisions concerning pensions in particular, those affecting purchasing power, and the ones related to the Anghel Saligny program. All these issues have been discussed within the Social Democratic Party and will be discussed again today. I do not expect decisions to be made today, because any decision requires consultation with the National Political Council and party members. Still, it is good that this discussion is taking place today,” said Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament.

He also stated that the way the Social Democratic Party is treated by its governing partners is very important, because PSD is, according to the results of the last parliamentary elections, “the largest political party in Romania and, as such, we demand decency, respect, and dialogue in order to find the best solutions.”

Asked how the Social Democrats intend to push their solutions within the coalition, Negrescu said that PSD joined the government as “a responsible party”: “We understand the importance of the moment, the responsibility we bear, and the difficulties Romania is currently facing. At the same time, we have a program that we presented to the Romanian people when we were elected. We strongly believe in the need to develop Romania, to help it grow, not just to impose austerity measures. These topics have been presented to the Prime Minister. We believe in a constructive dialogue with the Romanian Prime Minister, and we also want a good part of our ideas to be discussed in a constructive way.”

PSD is asking to be treated with “decency and fairness.”

Asked whether there is a strong current within PSD in favor of leaving the government, Negrescu avoided a direct answer. He reiterated the need for dialogue.

“As you can see, the debate within the Social Democratic Party is open and wide-ranging, which shows that the Social Democratic Party is a living, dynamic party. That is why I expect this dialogue to continue in the coming weeks. We will obviously see different voices expressing themselves. (…) No one is threatening anything (regarding leaving the government – ed.). The Social Democratic Party went before the Romanian people asking for their vote for a series of objectives, and we want these objectives to be implemented in the act of governing. We have a responsibility to the Romanian people, to Romania, and in this sense we want  to be consulted when decisions are made,” Negrescu added, referring to the discussions on Pillar II pensions.