PSD remains in power, but boycotts governing coalition meetings

Social Democratic leaders decided yesterday, unanimously, in the meeting of the PSD National Political Bureau, to suspend participation in governing coalition meetings, until the Bolojan government adopts the package to eliminate existing privileges in the public system.

At the end of the meeting, Sorin Grindeanu, the party's interim president, declared: "PSD conditions participation in coalition meetings on the adoption of a package to eliminate privileges - special pensions, reductions in agencies at central and county level, reduction of the number of members of the boards of directors and reduction of allowances. When these things are adopted, PSD returns to coalition meetings".

The social-democratic leader emphasized that PSD requests an urgent meeting with officials of the Ministry of Finance to analyze the current execution of the state budget and to discuss the budget rectification, with an emphasis on financing major investments and on redesigned measures in the area of education.

"If funding is secured for the Anghel Saligny program and for investments, we will be able to move on to the third package of fiscal measures, but let's also talk about measures to relaunch the economy and reindustrialize Romania," pointed out Sorin Grindeanu, who added that it is very important to continue funding the Anghel Saligny program "because it is for Romanians" and concerns investments in water infrastructure, sewage and natural gas networks, as well as county roads. The PSD leader also mentioned that he wants the Bologna government to find solutions for continuing the works on the Moldovan highway, A7, during the budget rectification. Sorin Grindeanu mentioned that the budget of almost 47 billion lei approved by the Government for the Ministry of Transport is sufficient to cover the necessary financing for the works currently underway on the A7.

The PSD leader reaffirmed that his party is a serious governing partner: "Every time we enter government, we are serious partners who deal with governance policies and not guerrilla politics"/ Sorin Grindeanu mentioned that discussions on health, administration and fiscal measures from package 3 will be possible in the governing coalition only after the first two conditions established by the Social Democrats in the National Political Bureau meeting are met. The message is clear: PSD wants first the elimination of privileges, then discussions applied to health, education and administration.

"We expect that package to eliminate privileges to be adopted as soon as possible, after which we will have a discussion with the Ministry of Finance and we will return to the coalition meetings. I want the package related to privileges to be adopted quickly, even tomorrow, by assuming the responsibility of the Government, so that we can enter the part related to points two and three. This does not mean that, at our request, we will not have discussions this week at the Ministry of Finance", concluded Grindeanu, making it clear that the ball is now in the court of the coalition partners, and the PSD is not willing to take any step back from the assumed priorities.