PSD leader, about the CCR decision by which politicians will no longer publish their assets: someone plays, insistently, with the fire next to the bottle

Deputy Mihai Fifor, leader PSD Arad and former Minister of Defense, criticized on Thursday night the decision of the Constitutional Court (CCR) regarding the publication of wealth and maintenance statements, stating that it risks “throwing the citizens' confidence, not only in institutions, but also throughout the political class, and to feed the new one to prepare a new transparency functions and public dignities ”. “I cannot help but notice that someone seems to play, insistently, with the fire next to the bottle,” says the deputy.

The RCC has decided, previously during the day, that the statements of wealth and interests should no longer be published on the website of the National Integrity Agency, nor on the online pages of other public institutions, and these statements should no longer include the revenues and goods of the spouses and children.

Basically, by this decision, which is final and mandatory, the statements of wealth and interests will be kept secret.

Mihai Fifor believes that it is imperative for the Parliament to “intervene as an emergency, to correct this legislative breach and to guarantee, by law, the right of Romanians to know who leads them, what wealth it has and what interests it represents.”

Also, the social-democratic deputy states, in a post on his Facebook page, that he will continue to publish his statements of wealth and interests.

Mihai Fifor's statements:

• “I have always respected the decisions of the courts in Romania and I will continue to do it without hesitation. For me, the rule of law and the authority of the Constitutional Court are fundamental landmarks in a functional democracy.
• But precisely because I respect them, I cannot help but notice that someone is playing, insistently, with the fire next to the bottle.
• Otherwise, how to understand the decision today of the RCC, which challenges the very essence of public transparency: the obligation that statements of wealth and interests are public?
• A decision that risks casting the confidence of citizens, not only in institutions, but also throughout the political class, and feed the suspicion that a new maneuver is being prepared to eluda in the exercise of public functions and dignities.
• Transparency is not negotiable. It is a basic principle of any functional democracy, which you assume when you assume a position of public dignity or a public function.
• That is why, I think it is imperative that the Parliament intervene, to correct this legislative breach and to guarantee, by law, the right of Romanians to know who leads them, what wealth it has and what interests it represents.
• Because yes, it seems that someone wants, with everything inside, to deepen the crisis of confidence in the fundamental institutions of the state and in the political class as a whole.
• A crisis that, if fed repeatedly, can have extremely dangerous consequences for Romania's democratic stability, as it has been seen in the latter months.
• Respect for citizens begins with transparency. And who runs away from her has nothing to do in public functions. I, one, will continue to make my statements of wealth and interests public.“

And Sorin Grindeanu, the interim president of the PSD, announced that he will continue to make his wealth statements, even after the RCC decision.

The decision of the constitutional judges will produce effects for the future and does not concern the statements of wealth and interests filed before the publication of the decision in the Official Gazette of Romania.