Scandal in the coalition on the subject of magistrates' pensions. Ciucu: “There are moments of blockage”/ Grindeanu's warning for Prime Minister Bolojan

PNL First Vice-President Ciprian Ciucu stated, at the end of Tuesday's coalition meeting, that the PSD representatives left the meeting before receiving an answer from Ilie Bolojan regarding the social democrats' proposals on the reform of magistrates' pensions. On the other hand, Sorin Grindeanu warned Ilie Bolojan that, in case of a new failure at the CCR, the prime minister “will have to bear the political consequences” of his decisions.

At the end of Tuesday's meeting of the leaders of the ruling coalition, PNL First Vice-President Ciprian Ciucu reported how the discussions related to the reform of magistrates' pensions went, after the Constitutional Court rejected the draft law on this topic

“Bolojan didn't have time to either refuse or accept”

“Sorin Grindeanu came and proposed, legitimately and normally, to unblock the situation with a working group. They would argue for and against, but without reaching a decision. Someone, not from the PNL, said something to the contrary and then he left. I thought his departure was a bit forced. Unfortunately, it is the third time that the PSD leaves without exhausting the items on the agenda,” said Ciprian Tassel

“Sorin Grindeanu said what he had to say, Ilie Bolojan the same, no conclusion was reached. Someone else intervened without saying the conclusion and Mr. Grindeanu left the room. Mr. Bolojan did not have time to either refuse or accept”, detailed the liberal

After saying that it is necessary to “unblock the coalition”, Ciucu was asked if the coalition is now blocked. “There are moments of deadlock. I don't want it to be perceived as an attack on the PSD, we want the PSD to be part of the coalition (…) Everyone is interested in unblocking the situation in which the government is”, answered the mayor of sector 6.

Grindeanu: “Bolojan should bear the consequences”

After leaving the coalition meeting, PSD president Sorin Grindeanu posted a message on Facebook asking “all political actors” to be involved in the justice reform process.

“Unfortunately, some driven more by pride and less by reason, want to take the same steps that, in the past, led to failure — risking an even worse outcome this time: rejection on the merits. I can understand Ilie Bolojan's desire to get directly involved in the necessary reforms in the field of justice. But he must understand that he can no longer do it alone. A real dialogue with all the relevant actors is mandatory in the field”, said the leader of the social democrats.

Grindeanu then sent a warning to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan about the consequences of a new failure at the Constitutional Court of the proposal to reduce the special pensions of magistrates.

“If he chooses to refuse the path of dialogue, will assume the resumption of the procedures, again, on his own account and will fail a second time, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan will then have to bear the political consequences of his own decisions”, Grindeanu concluded.

Invited to comment on the PSD leader's post, Ciprian Ciucu implied that the message would be related to the congress where the social democrats will choose their new leadership.

“It is wrong to talk about the departure of those who want to do something. I expect that we will have a much more collaborative PSD, much more present even after November 7 (the date of the PSD Congress – n. ed.),” said Ciucu.

Suspicions towards the Minister of Justice

The liberal also mentioned the fact that the Ministry of Justice, led by Radu Marinescu, designated by the PSD, was not the author of the project for which the Bolojan government assumed responsibility, a situation that the liberal considers strange.

“It is not fair that a single person from this country should take on all the weight of these reforms. Such a project, like the one that failed at the CCR on procedural grounds and on which we will also wait for the Court's point of view on the merits, should have been initiated by the Minister of Justice in such a way as to greatly minimize the risk of it falling.

Asked why the project was drawn up at the Ministry of Labour, Ciucu said: “That's the question: why didn't the Minister of Justice accept it? He has to stand behind the Prime Minister (…) It seems very strange to me that the project was initiated by the Minister of Labour, to whom we must thank, but he does not have the best specialists in the field of justice.”

Also, the first vice-president Ciprian Ciucu complained that the judicial power, either through the decisions of the courts or through those of the Constitutional Court, gradually limited the capacity of the legislative and executive powers to legislate and regulate.

“The judiciary has already been blocking the Legislature and the Executive for many years. It is a much more stable power, not like the politicians who change after the elections,” Ciucu appreciated.

He directly referred to a possible concession from the Government regarding the level of the magistrates' pension in relation to the salary.

“It's a bit strange the feeling that you are somehow blackmailed or taken prisoner when you have to make executive decisions and negotiate values. Let's say we go for 75% on the salary replacement rate with the pension. In the EU, the average rate is somewhere around 58%. The government came up with 70%, if we set a standard of 75%, we don't come up with a special law but the same for everyone. Let's set from now on for all social categories, regardless of budget (…) CCR decisions will not change economic realities. If we don't balance the budget, to be very clear, we won't have where to pay the pensions and salaries of the budget workers”, said Ciucu.